Conditions for tracheal intubation using atracurium compared with pancuronium.

Intubating conditions were compared using atracurium 0.6 and 0.8 mg kg-1 and pancuronium 0.08 and 0.1 mg kg-1 in 96 patients. They were randomly allocated and studied at 30, 45, 60 or 75 s after injection of the drug. Smooth intubation was not possible before 60 s with either drug and in 11 patients intubation could not be achieved at the chosen time. Atracurium 0.6 mg kg-1 and pancuronium 0.08 mg kg-1 gave comparable results. Atracurium 0.8 mg kg-1 gave intubating conditions comparable to those obtained with pancuronium 0.1 mg kg-1 at 45 and 75 s and slightly better conditions at 30 and 60 s.