Monitoring of Neuromuscular Block Flashcards
Does TOF stimulation require a control twitch?
No
What kind of block is fade a feature of?
Non-depolarizing only
What should the TOF count be greater than to ensure reversibility?
3
How frequently can you perform a TOF stimulation?
It shouldn’t be performed any more frequently than once every 10 seconds, otherwise it can lead to recovery from block in the stimulated muscle
What kind of neuromuscular monitoring is accelomyography best suited to?
TOF and PTC monitoring
What must the TOF ratio be fore acceptable recovery?
>0.9
Which is more sensitive, DBS or TOF?
DBS is easier to assess clinically than TOF so is more sensitive
Which muscle is more accurate in reflecting block recovery, the adductor pollicus or the orbicularis oculi?
The adductor pollicis
Which recovers from block faster, the diaphragm or the adductor pollicis?
The diaphragm
Can you monitor DBS with acceloromyography?
DBS cannot be reliably monitored using acceleromyography
What is a potential source of error with EMG recording?
EMG recording may detect direct muscle stimulation.
What is the amplitude of an evoked EMG potential proportional to?
The amplitude of an evoked EMG potential is proportional to the number of neuromuscular junctions stimulated.
What preload is advised to be placed on the adductor pollicis muscle when using MMG monitoring?
200-300 grams
What is the resistance of skin in ohms?
0 - 5 kOhms
What disease states produce increased skin resistance?
Diabetes mellitus Hypothyroidism (thick skin)
How does temperature affect skin resistance?
Cold increases resistance Heat decreases resistance
Will skin resistance be affected by the type of electrode used?
Yes, the surface area and quality of contact varies with different electrodes
What does DBS consist of?
2 bursts of tetanus at 50Hz Each impulse separated by 20ms and the 2 bursts separated by 750ms
What is profound block best assessed by?
PTC
What issues can residual neuromuscular block cause?
- impairs ventilatory response to hypoxia
- increased risk of aspiration
- airway obstruction
What criteria must a nerve have to be used to assess degree of neuromuscular block?
- must have a motor element
- must be close to the skin
- contraction in the muscle/muscle group which the nerve supplies must be visible or accessible to evoked response monitoring
What current needs to be applied to generate a response through all the nerve fibres and hence make a maximal muscle contraction?
- current for 0.1 - 0.3 ms
- usually 25% above the maximal stimulus (supramaximal)
What properties would the ideal nerve stimulator have?
- battery operated
- able to deliver a constant current up to 80 mA
- adequacy of the electrical contact should be displayed on the monitor screen
- pulse stimulus should last no more than 0.3 ms and be monophasic, square wave type to ensure constant current throughout the stimulus
- polarity of electrode leads should be indicated
- should be able to deliver a variety of patterns - single twitch 1Hz, TOF 2Hz with 10s between trains, tetanic at 50Hz for up to 5s and DBS
- be able to monitor evoked responses
How does single twitch stimulation work?
- needs a control twitch before giving neuromuscular blocker
- single square wave supramaximal stimulus is applied to a peripheral nerve for 0.2 ms at regular intervals and the evoked response is observed
- twitch will be depressed when neuromuscular blocking agent occupies >75% of the post-synaptic nicotinic receptors
- twitch depression must be >90% to provide good conditions for abdo surgery
- useful at the onset of neuromuscular block
- can also be used in the post-tetanic count but don’t need a control twitch height for that