Computer controlled muscle relaxation: a comparison of four muscle relaxants in the sheep.

Computer control of anaesthesia has been extended to include muscle relaxant drugs. Injection of d-tubocurarine, gallamine, alcuronium or pancuronium was controlled by computer to reduce the integrated electromyogram to a preset level (40 per cent of control) for one hour. A programmed level of muscle paralysis is therefore possible for use in physiological and pharmacological experiments, and in clinical practice where precise control of the degree of paralysis together with minimal dosage is advantageous.