ABSTRACT. The purpose of this study was to evaluate ture of newborn animal models has not been studied, it has been cerebral blood flow and metabolism following pancuronium shown in adult rats that there is an increase in cerebral blood bromide paralysis in healthy newborn lambs. Cerebral flow and cerebral oxygen consumption following paralysis (1). blood flow and cerebral metabolic rate for O2 and glucose The purpose of this study, therefore, was to evaluate the cerebral were measured along with blood pressure and blood gases blood flow and metabolism following pancuronium bromide before and again at 15 and 60 min following pancuronium paralysis in healthy newborn lambs. paralysis in seven newborn lambs. Pancuronium bromide paralysis had no effect on any of these parameters either at 15 or 60 min of paralysis. Total cerebral blood flow,
MATERIALS AND METHODScerebral metabolic rate for 0 2 , and cerebral metabolic rate for glucose were 87 2 6 ml/min/100 g, 258 + 10 pmolOz/ min/100 g, and 53 f 10 mmol glucose/min/lOO g, respectively. Neither was any change in regional cerebral blood flow noted. In spite of being connected immediately to the ventilator, however, some animals experienced a transient Neuromuscular blocking agents are used in infants in neonatal intensive care units to induce respiratory muscle paralysis. Among the nondepolarizing muscle relaxants, pancuronium bromide is the most commonly used agent, based on fewer side effects following its administration. A recent study, however, in preterm infants reported an increase in cerebral blood velocity measured by Doppler technique following paralysis with curare or pancuronium bromide (Pavulotl) (9). Inasmuch as derangement of cerebral blood flow appears to be linked to the pathogenesis of intracranial hemorrhage encountered in the human premature brain (8), there is reason to postulate a relationship between cerebral blood flow changes following the use of skeletal muscle relaxants and intracranial hemorrhage in neonates.While the effect of muscle relaxants upon the cerebrovascula- Animal preparation. Studies were performed on newborn lambs less than 1 wk of age. Two to 3 days prior to the experiment, ketamine HCl, 10 mg/kg, was administered intramuscularly and additional 10-mg doses were given as necessary during the surgical procedure. Following subcutaneous infiltration with lidocaine HCl (I%), polyvinyl catheters (No. 5 French) were placed into the inferior vena cava for the administration of fluid and drugs, into the left brachial and femoral arteries for monitoring blood pressure and withdrawal of reference blood samples, and directly into the left cardiac ventricle through the femoral artery for injection of microspheres. Sagittal sinuses were chronicall; catheterized with a 2Sgauge stahless steel cannula with an over-the-needle Teflon catheter.Experimental protocol. On the day of the study, the animals were fed as usual. The larynx was visualized with the aid of a laryngdscope and an endotracheal tube was advanced and secured with tape to the mo...