Prolonged effect of succinylcholine following reversal of residual rocuronium bromide block: A case report

Abstract

Succinylcholine is administered in small doses to relieve post-extubation laryngospasm. We report a 3-month-old infant weighing 5.1 kg who developed severe laryngospasm after tracheal extubation following reversal of rocuronium bromide neuromuscular block. Succinylcholine 2.5 mg promptly relieved the spasm but apnea lasted for nearly an hour in a patient with normal dibucaine number. We postulate that this prolonged apnea was related to the timing of succinylcholine administration in relation to the degree of recovery from non-depolarising neuromuscular block.