METHODS: A hundred and twenty ASA 1-3 adults were randomly reversed with 1 mg/kg sugammadex prior to extubation followed by another 1 mg/kg immediately after extubation (staggered group), single dose of 2 mg/kg sugammadex (single bolus group) or neostigmine 0.02 mg/kg with glycopyrrolate (neostigmine group).

RESULTS: We found 70% of patients (n = 28) reversed with single boluses of sugammadex had Grade 3 emergence cough compared to 12.5% (n = 5) in the staggered sugammadex group and 17.5% (n = 7) in the neostigmine group (p p = 0.005). On the other hand, staggering sugammadex lowered risks of developing severe cough (RR 0.2, p p = 0.010) on emergence in addition to cough (RR 0.25, p = 0.039) and early sore throat (RR 0.70, p = 0.036) in the post-anesthetic care unit. The risks for severe emergence cough (RR 0.86, p = 0.762), severe cough in the post-anesthetic care unit (RR 1.0, p = 1.000) and sore throat (RR 1.17, p = 0.502) were also not different between the staggered sugammadex group and control given neostigmine. In terms of timing, there was no delay in time taken from discontinuing anesthetic agents to reversal and extubation if sugammadex was staggered (emergence time 6.0 ± 3.2 s, p = 0.625 and reversal time 6.5 ± 3.5, p = 0.809).

CONCLUSIONS: Staggering the dose of sugammadex for reversal will effectively decrease common emergence and early postoperative complications.