Clinical implications of sugammadex

Abstract

Sugammadex is a cyclodextrin molecule that encapsulates and inactivates rocuronium and vecuronium. As a result, any degree of neuromuscular block produced by rocuronium or vecuronium can be rapidly and completely reversed without autonomic effects. Because sugammadex is optimised for reversing rocuronium it is most likely to be used in conjunction with this drug. Sugammadex will allow deep levels of block to be maintained until the very end of surgery, and will allow block to be reversed at any time after rocuronium administration, even just a few minutes. The recommended dose-range is 2-16 mg.kg-1 (ascender), depending on the level of block. The availability of sugammadex reversal may increase the use of rocuronium, and decrease the use of suxamethonium and benzylisoquinoline neuromuscular blocking drugs. In addition, it will certainly increase pharmacy costs, which may be offset by faster recovery and discharge from the post-anesthesia recovery unit. Sugammadex may also change monitoring practices in that post-tetanic count will be required to quantify deep block, and quantitative monitoring of recovery may be driven by cost concerns in order to allow the use of the smallest dose of sugammadex that gives a satisfactory train-of-four ratio. Alternatively, monitoring may essentially be abandoned since a large dose of sugammadex will reliably reverse any degree of rocuronium-induced block. The ultimate clinical utility of sugammadex will be clear only after large-scale clinical use.