Swiss medical weekly
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Swiss medical weekly · Jan 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialButorphanol pre-treatment prevents myoclonus induced by etomidate: a randomised, double-blind, controlled clinical trial.
Myoclonic movements are common problems during induction of anaesthesia with etomidate. The myoclonus occurring after etomidate administration may represent a form of seizure. Agonistic modulation of the κ opiate receptor may reduce seizures, and butorphanol acts in such a manner. The aim of this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was to test our hypothesis that pre-treatment with butorphanol might reduce the incidence and severity of myoclonus induced by etomidate. ⋯ Infusion of 0.015 mg/kg butorphanol 2 minutes before etomidate administration is effective for suppressing myoclonus induced by etomidate during induction of general anaesthesia.