Evaluation of 51W89 for Tracheal Intubation in Surgical Patients during Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen/Propofol Anesthesia

Background Since the introduction of the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) into the United States in 1991, the device has become widely used in anesthesia practice. The purpose of this economic analysis was to use existing data to evaluate the costs of the LMA relative to three other common airway management techniques and to identify the variables that had the greatest effect on cost efficiency. Methods We evaluated four airway management techniques for healthy adults receiving an isoflurane-nitrous oxide-oxygen anesthetic for elective outpatient surgery: (1) LMA with spontaneous ventilation; (2) face mask with spontaneous ventilation; (3) tracheal intubation after succinylcholine with subsequent spontaneous ventilation; and (4) tracheal intubation after nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockade and controlled ventilation. We analyzed published clinical studies of the LMA and obtained cost data from Stanford University Medical Center. The best available estimates of the independent variables were incorporated into a baseline case. For each airway technique we derived cost equations that excluded costs common to all four techniques. Results Relative to airway management with an LMA, calculated values for the baseline analysis included additional isoflurane costs for use of a face mask ($ 0.12/min) and for tracheal intubation with ($ 0.043/min) and without neuromuscular blockade ($ 0.06/min). With a neuromuscular blocking drug cost of $ 0.21/min and an LMA cost per use of $ 20, the face mask with spontaneous ventilation was the cost-efficient airway choice for anesthetics lasting as long as 100 min. Increasing the LMA reuse rate from 10 to 25 made the LMA the least costly airway technique for cases lasting more than 70 min. Conclusions If the LMA is reused 40 times, the LMA is the cost-efficient airway choice for outpatients receiving an isoflurane-nitrous oxide-oxygen anesthetic lasting longer than 40 min. This finding does not change if the cost of neuromuscular blockade or the incidence of airway-related complications is varied over a clinically relevant range.

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A Dose-ranging Study of Rapacuronium in Pediatric Patients

Anesthesiology ◽

10.1097/00000542-200004000-00017 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 92 (4) ◽

pp. 1002-1009 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

George H. Meakin ◽

Olli A. Meretoja ◽

Johann Motsch ◽

Tomi Taivainen ◽

Kari Wirtavuori ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nitrous Oxide ◽

Tracheal Intubation ◽

Rapid Onset ◽

Neuromuscular Blocking ◽

Infants And Children ◽

Older Children ◽

Duration Of Action ◽

Intubating Conditions ◽

Nitrous Oxide Oxygen ◽

Train Of Four

Background The aim of this study was to determine the dose or doses of the new rapid-onset, short-acting, neuromuscular blocking drug rapacuronium that would provide satisfactory conditions for tracheal intubation at 60 s in infants and children. Methods Sixty-five infants (< 1 yr), 51 younger children (1-6 yr), and 49 older children (7-12 yr) were studied. Anesthesia was induced with thiopental-nitrous oxide-oxygen. Tracheal intubation was attempted 60 s after administration of one of five doses of rapacuronium (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, or 2.5 mg/kg) and intubating conditions were assessed using a four-point scale. Following tracheal intubation, anesthesia was maintained with nitrous oxide-oxygen and alfentanil (12.5-50 microg/kg) as necessary. Neuromuscular transmission was monitored in an uncalibrated fashion using an acceleromyograph. Results Intubating conditions were good or excellent at 60 s in all infants after doses of 1.5 mg/kg or more and in all younger and older children after doses of 2.0 mg/kg or more. The duration of action of rapacuronium was dose- and age-dependent. Mean times to reappearance of the third twitch of the train-of-four (TOF; T3) were less than 10 min in infants at doses of 1.5 mg/kg or less and in younger and older children at doses of 2.0 mg/kg or less. Recovery of T3 after 1.0-2.0 mg/kg rapacuronium was significantly slower in infants compared with younger (P = 0.001) and older (P = 0.02) children. Five adverse experiences were related to rapacuronium administration: Bronchospasm (two instances), tachycardia (one instance), and increased salivation (two instances). None were serious. Conclusions Doses of 1.5 and 2.0 mg/kg rapacuronium can produce satisfactory intubating conditions at 60 s in anesthetized infants and children, respectively, and are associated with a short duration of action.

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