Effects of Atracurium and Cisatracurium on Pediatric Airway Pressure During Propofol Anesthesia

This study aimed to determine the effects of two muscle relaxants, i.e. atracurium and cisatracurium, on airway pressure of pediatric patients during general anesthesia maintained by propofol.
This double-blind clinical trial included 68 two-five-year-old candidates for elective lower abdominal surgeries under propofol anesthesia. The patients were randomized to two groups to receive either atracurium or cisatracurium as muscle relaxant. The changes in airway pressures were evaluated during the procedure.
Peak airway pressure from the 10th to the 45th minutes and plateau airway pressure from the fifth to the 45th minutes after the induction of anesthesia were significantly lower in the cisatracurium group (P = 0.005). Four patients (11.8%) from the atracurium group developed laryngospasm. However, the two groups had no significant difference in this regard (P = 0.11).
Comparison of the two muscle relaxants showed that cisatracurium had lower peak and plateau airway pressure in pediatric patients under general anesthesia maintained by propofol.