Neuromuscular Recovery During Washout of Desflurane vs. Isoflurane

Abstract

Although potentiation of muscle relaxants by inhaled anesthetics is desirable (it reduces the total dose of muscle relaxant and, presumably, the plasma concentration of the relaxant), recent investigations suggest that potentiation persists beyond washout of the inhaled anesthetic (1). Because desflurane exits rapidly from lung (and possibly from muscle), we evaluated neuromuscular function during washout of inhaled anesthetics during steady state vecuronium infusion. To minimize the effect of variability, we used a crossover study design in volunteers.