Adequacy of Reversal of Neuromuscular Blockade with or without Train-of-Four Monitoring: A Randomised Controlled Study

Introduction: Adequate reversal of Neuromuscular Blockade (NMB) is essential when using muscle relaxants to avoid residual paralysis postoperatively. Reversal can be achieved using clinical parameters or, alternatively, by Train-of-Four (TOF) monitoring.Aim: To evaluate the adequacy of successful NMB reversal using clinical parameters-based endpoints compared to using TOF monitoring.Materials and Methods: The hospital-based randomised controlled study conducted in the Department of Anaesthesiology, SDM Medical College, Dharwad, Karnataka, India for a peroid of two years from November 2019 to December 2021. Consisted of 120 subjects divided into two groups: Group-C (Clinical parameters) and group T (TOF monitoring), aged 18-60 years of either sex with American Soceity of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) physical status I and II, undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia requiring intubation. Extubation was achieved in group C using clinical parameters like return of spontaneous respiratory efforts, adequate Tidal Volume (TV) (>= 5 mL/kg), obeying simple commands, absence of excessive secretions, and in group T using TOF monitoring. The t-test was used to compare the difference between the groups. The Chi-square test was done for contingency data. A p-value of less than or equal to 0.05 (p-value <= 0.05) indicates statistical significance.Results: In the study, both group C and group T were comparable in terms of age {(41.15 +/- 10.23 years, 41.03 +/- 11.9 years) p-value=0.95}, sex (m/f) {(46.6%/53.3% and 63.3%/36.6%) p-value=0.06}, and Basal Metabolic Index (BMI) {<= 25=59.1%, 2530=33.3%, >_30=7.5%, p-value=0.57}, respectively. Five patients in group C had residual paralysis, whereas none in group T. Reversal-extubation time in minutes (min) in group C {5.9 +/- 2.2, 5.4 (2-15.2)} and group T {6.6 +/- 1.9, 6.24 (3.3-12.2)} (p-value=0.07), TOF value at the time of extubation in group C {72.1 +/- 11.6, 72 (41-91)}, group T {72.75 +/- 2.74, 72 (70-79)} (p-value=0.69). TOF value after 10 minutes of extubation in group C {92.5 +/- 7.1, 94 (66100)} and group T {95.6 +/- 2.7, 96 (90-100)} (p-value=0.006).Conclusion: The TOF monitoring is better compared to a clinical parameters-based reversal strategy in reducing the incidence of residual paralysis and resulting complications whenever Neuromuscular Blocking Agents (NMBAs) are used. Hence, it is desirable to use Neuromuscular Monitoring with the use of NMBAs.