THYROID SURGERY, IONM AND SUGAMMADEX SODIUM RELATIONSHIPS: BENEFITS IN SUGAMMADEX SODIUM USE FOR IONM.

Abstract

Background: It is important to protect recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) during thyroid surgery. Thus, intra- operative neuromonitoring (IONM) has got popularity. But, the half life of neuromuscular blocking agents used has a reverse correlation with reliability and effectiveness of IONM. This study aimed to research the effect of Sugammadex Sodium, a specific nemuromuscular blocking agent antagonist, on nerve conduction and IONM.

Materials and methods: Twenty patients who underwent thyroidectomy under IONM followed an enhanced NMB recovery protocol-rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg at anesthesia induction and sugammadex 2 mg/kg at the beginning of operation. To prevent laryngeal nerve injury during the surgical procedures, all patients underwent intraoperative monitoring. At the same time, the measurement of TOF-Watch acceleromyograph of the adductor pollicis muscle response to ulnar nerve stimulation was performed; recovery was defined as a train-of-four (TOF) ratio ≥ 0.9. Age, sex, recurrent laryngeal nerve transmission speeds prior to and after operation, BMI, duration of surgery, the change in nerve transmission after drug administration and complications were analyzed.

Results: The mean age and the mean BMI were 47.6±11.82 years and 28.74±3.20, respectively. The mean operation duration was 52.65±5.51 minutes. There was no difference in either right or left RLN monitoring values before and after surgery. Following the drug injection, the TOF guard measurements on the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th minutes were 23.5±4.90; 69.5±6.86; 88±4.1 and 135.9±10.62, respectively.

Conclusion: Neuromuscular blocking antagonist use and monitoring nerve transmission speed with TOF-guard can provide a safer resection.