Suxamethonium- Induced Prolonged Apnea: Insights from a Clinical Case

Suxamethonium, or succinylcholine, is a depolarizing neuromuscular blocker used for rapid sequence intubation in anesthesia.It acts quickly, causing temporary paralysis, but in some individuals, a deficiency or abnormality in the enzyme pseudocholinesterase (also called butyrylcholinesterase) can result in prolonged paralysis, a condition known as suxamethonium apnea.Pseudocholinesterase deficiency can be inherited or acquired, and patients with this condition cannot efficiently metabolize suxamethonium, leading to delayed recovery from muscle paralysis.The clinical presentation typically includes prolonged apnea and muscle weakness long after the expected recovery time, often requiring mechanical ventilation until the effects of the drug wear off.