Effect of Deep Neuromuscular Blockade on Surgical Conditions and Recovery After Robotic Radical Prostatectomy: a Prospective Randomized Study

Balanced anesthesia is an anesthetic procedure of choice for intra-abdominal surgery. Main components of this procedure are loss of consciousness, treatment of pain and appropriate neuromuscular blockade (NMB). Peripheral neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA) are drugs used for muscle relaxation during balanced anesthesia. Their use plays essential role for tracheal intubation, orotracheal tube tolerance, introduction of mechanical ventilation and provision of calm surgical field.

In laparoscopic procedures, introduction of capnoperitoneum for good visibility in surgical field is necessary. From anesthetic point of view this requirement can be met by adequate muscle relaxation. After withdrawal of capnoperitoneum at the end of the surgery the procedure is usually terminated quickly (this phase consists only from suture of a peritoneum and the small incisions through which instruments were inserted). Spontaneous recovery from NMB or usual reversal of the block by neostigmine are not fast and reliable enough at this moment. During standard neuromuscular blockade the dosage of NMBA is a compromise between optimal surgical conditions (sufficiently deep block) and capability to antagonize the block rapidly at the end of the surgery. Introduction of sugammadex into clinical praxis brings the potential to change this paradigm. With rocuronium, it is possible to maintain deep neuromuscular blockade safely until the very end of the surgery and unlike with spontaneous recovery or reversal of the block with neostigmine, administration of sugammadex at the end of the surgery will enable quick and consistent reversal of the block. Data about routine use of the deep block are rare, PubMed lists with search strategy [(deep neuromuscular blockade) AND (laparoscopic surgery OR laparoscopy)] 11 references (January 12, 2015, www.pubmed.com).

Patients undergoing robotic radical prostatectomy will be randomized to two groups differing in muscle relaxation strategy (standard vs. deep) and the type of antagonizing drug at the end of the surgery (neostigmine vs. sugammadex). Relevant end-points and the differences between groups with deep and standard neuromuscular blockade will be compared. Indication and dosage of rocuronium, neostigmine and sugammadex correspond to manufacturers' recommendations.