Annals of cardiac anaesthesia
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The objective of this study was to assess the difference in muscular relaxation, produced by administration of the prebypass relaxant dose to the patient or in the bypass circuit. This prospective study was conducted on 100 patients scheduled to undergo elective coronary artery bypass grafting. All patients received 2 mg of vecuronium as prebypass relaxant, with neuromuscular junction monitoring using an accelograph. ⋯ Additional doses of relaxant on bypass were required in 48 patients in Group B and none in Group A (P<0.01). It is concluded that the degree of muscle relaxation is significantly more profound when the prebypass relaxant dose is given to the patient directly before initiating the bypass, than when it is added to the bypass circuit after initiating the bypass. Time taken is longer and dose needed is larger, to produce the same effect.