EFFECT OF STRETCH EXERCISES ON SUXAMETHONIUM INDUCED FASCICULATIONS AND MYALGIA

The speed of onset of blockade and the excellent intubating conditions achieved with suxamethon-ium arc frequently counteracted by muscle fasci-culations, increases in intragastric and intra-occular pressures (Famewo, 1981) and postopera-tive muscle pain. Since Churchill-Davidson demonstrated the modifying influence of pre-treatment with gallamine in 1954, many forms of pretreatment have been shown to decrease the incidence of these side effects (table I), although none abolishes them totally. Investigation is made more complex since muscle pain is affected by many factors, including the time of ambulation (Churchill-Davidson, 1954), site of surgery (Brod-sky and Ehrenwerth, 1980), age (Bush and Roth, 1961), pregnancy (Thind and Bryson, 1983), sex (Riding, 1975), and degree of physical fitness (Newnam and Loudon, 1966). Stretch exercises performed by athletes before physical effort have the effect, among other things, of decreasing muscle damage during, and diminishing muscle pain after, the actual exercise (Harris, 1984). The aim of this study was to apply stretch exercises to patients undergoing anaes-thesia requiring tracheal intubation to determine whether a decrease in the incidence of suxame-thonium-induced muscle pain could be achieved. PATIENTS AND METHODS The approval of the hospital ethics committee was obtained and each patient gave informed consent before participation. Fifty patients (ASA Class I) presenting for routine minor surgery, and wh