Skeletal Mucle Relaxation During Surgery

Overview

Skeletal muscle relaxants are drugs that cause relaxation of the muscles. They act by blocking the neuromuscular junction hence blocks the transmission of nerve impulses from the central nervous system to the muscles. Skeletal muscle relaxants are hence also known as neuromuscular blocking agents. They are widely used during surgery with general anaesthesia. Skeletal muscle relaxants during surgery help in the facilitation of endotracheal intubation as well as mechanical ventilation as it causes the respiratory muscles such as the diaphragm and intercostal muscles to be paralyzed. Skeletal muscles used during surgery can be either depolarizing agents or non-depolarizing agents. Example of depolarizing muscle relaxant is succinylcholine whereas the non-depolarizing muscle relaxants are rocuronium, mivacurium, and vecuronium. Some of the adverse effects of depolarizing skeletal muscle relaxants are hyperkalemia, cardiac arrhythmias, malignant hyperthermia, and respiratory depression. Non-depolarizing agents can cause adverse effects such as tachycardia, respiratory depression, hypotension, bronchospasm, and myopathy.