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Muscle relaxants in neurosurgical anaesthesia: a critical appraisal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 July 2005

P. Hans  and
V. Bonhomme
P. Hans
Affiliation:
Liege University Hospital, University Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, CHR de la Citadelle, Liege, Belgium
V. Bonhomme
Affiliation:
Liege University Hospital, University Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, CHR de la Citadelle, Liege, Belgium
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Abstract

Summary

The use of muscle relaxants, considered until recently as common practice in current neurosurgical anaesthesia protocols, becomes increasingly more questionable today. The reasons rely on the evolution of neurosurgery including the advent of new surgical techniques, the evolution of anaesthesia having the benefit of new drugs and devices, and the rationale for using muscle relaxants balanced against their potential side-effects and possible pharmacodynamic alterations in neurosurgical patients.

Keywords

ANAESTHESIA, GENERAL anaesthesia, inhalationNEUROMUSCULAR BLOCKING AGENTSSPECIALTIES, SURGICAL, neurosurgery
Type
Review
Information
European Journal of Anaesthesiology , Volume 20 , Issue 8 , September 2003 , pp. 600 - 605
Copyright
2003 European Society of Anaesthesiology

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