Attempted acceleration of the onset of action of pancuronium. Effects of divided doses in infants and children.

The study was designed to determine whether the onset of action of pancuronium in infants and children could be accelerated by its administration in divided doses. Sixty paediatric patients (0-1 yr (n = 20); 1-3 yr (n = 20); 3-10 yr (n = 20)) were studied during nitrous oxide-oxygen-halothane anaesthesia using train-of-four stimulation, and the results were compared with data obtained previously in adults. The time to onset correlated with the patient's age, and an additional, small acceleration was produced following divided doses which did not alter the duration or pattern of neuromuscular blockade. It was concluded that, in children, divided doses of pancuronium are unlikely to offer important clinical advantages.