Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Effects of cisatracurium muscle relaxant in cats during orthopedic
By Interlandi, Claudia et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2026·Department of Veterinary Sciences, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Evaluation of the effects of a single bolus of cisatracurium as part of an anesthetic protocol in cats undergoing orthopedic surgery.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of cats undergoing orthopedic surgery for femoral fractures received a medication called cisatracurium to help relax their muscles during the procedure. This treatment allowed for a smoother surgery with less anesthesia needed and shorter operation times. After surgery, the cats that received cisatracurium also showed lower pain levels compared to those that did not. Overall, the use of cisatracurium improved the surgical experience and recovery for these cats.
People also search for: cat orthopedic surgery recovery · feline pain management after surgery · cisatracurium for cats
Abstract
Non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) are commonly used in human anesthesia but remain uncommon in veterinary medicine. This study evaluated the effects of 0.5 mg/kg cisatracurium IV on muscle relaxation, cardiovascular variables and postoperative pain in cats undergoing orthopedic surgery. Twenty-four cats were randomly assigned to a control group (Group C) or a treatment group receiving cisatracurium (Group M) immediately after induction. Neuromuscular function was monitored using a calibrated train-of-four (TOF) device. Postoperative pain was assessed with the short form of the Glasgow Feline Composite Measure Pain Scale (CMPS-Feline). The mean time to suppression of muscle contraction was 2.6 ± 0.8 min, with peak suppression (90%) at 3.0 ± 0.7 min, a mean duration of 23.3 ± 4.4 min, and complete recovery at 27.3 ± 8.6 min. Group M required lower sevoflurane concentrations to maintain anesthesia compared to Group C (p < 0.001) and had a shorter mean surgical time (25.3 ± 3 min vs. 31.5 ± 4 min; p < 0.001). Pain scores were also lower in Group M (p = 0.01). These findings demonstrate that cisatracurium effectively induces neuromuscular block (NMB) and improves surgical conditions, resulting in lower postoperative pain scores in cats undergoing femoral fracture repair.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41917956/