Cysteine Reversal of Neuromuscular Blocking Drugs
- Others
-
None
- *Abstract
-
During certain surgical procedures, neuromuscular blocking agents must be used. However, these neuromuscular blocking agents literally paralyze the patient for the time during which they are active.
Because paralysis can interfere with essential bodily functions (e.g. breathing), the physician selects a neuromuscular blocking agent that will be active for only as long as needed but no longer. For example, when a breathing tube must be inserted into the trachea of a patient a neuromuscular blocking agent is used to relax the tracheal muscles and permit intubation. However, the neuromuscular blocking agent also relaxes the muscles of the chest causing the patient to stop breathing. The anesthesiologist must quickly insert the breathing tube into the patient’s trachea and begin ventilation of the lungs. If the tube cannot be inserted quickly, the physician must intervene with some form of artificial resuscitation or the patient may suffer oxygen deprivation and the associated tissue damage from lack of oxygen.
Drs. Savarese and Heerdt have developed a cysteine based solution that rapidly reverses the effects of the neuromuscular by rapidly antagonizing the neuromuscular blocking agent and thus removing the patient from danger and avoiding the need for artificial resuscitation.
This work is unpublished although, additional information is available upon executing a confidentiality agreement.
- *Licensing
- Brian J. Kellybjk44@cornell.edu212-746-6186
- Country/Region
- USA
