Rocuronium-Sugammadex in Anesthesia for Electroconvulsive Therapy

Abstract

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a form of treatment which is very effective in many psychiatric disorders. The administration of anesthesia plays a positive role in the success of ECT and improves the oxygenation of the body during the process. Succinylcholine, is a depolarizing neuromuscular blocker of choice, the most common agent used to provide muscular relaxation during ECT. Alternative neuromusculer blokers have been used during anesthesia because of contraindications and serious side effects of succinylcholine. Rocuronium is a nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocker with inter-mediate time of action which may be used safely during ECT. Although relatively late onset of action and long half life compared to succinylcholine may seem as drawbacks, the new generation reversing agents like suggamadex have made these disadvantages ignorable. Sugammadex, a new generation neuromuscular blocker reversal agent, not having serious side effects as much as the classic reversals, such as cardiovascular side effects, is playing an important role in anesthesiology practice. In recent years, rocuronium-sugammadex combination is being included in the ECT practice extensively. In this paper, the usability of rocuronium-sugammadex combination as an alternative to succinylcholine has been revised. [Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry 2016; 8(1): 76-84]

Keywords

• ECT
• neuromuscular blokcade
• sugammadex