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A system has been developed for monitoring the effect of neuromuscular blocking frugs and the neuromuscular function during anesthesia and surgery. This system is composed of software and hardware, the latter are nerve stimulator, force transducer, interface board(preamplifier, filter, peripheral input/output) and personal computer (apple ll) , the former are programmed in ASSEMBLY and BASIC language. The nerve stimulator which is controlled by personal computer is capable of delivering single shocks at o.)Hz, train of four at 2Hz and tetanic stimulation at 30, 100, 200Hz. The response, adduction of the thumb, is sensed by the force transducer. The output of the force transducer Is amplified, filtered, converted digital signal and then processed by the per- sonal computer. The personal computer quantia4es twitch and traln of four tesponse and calculates the 74 ratio (Ta/Tl )between the first and fourth response of train of four. This ratio is used to estimate the level of the neuromuscular block. This system has reaserch potential for determining the effect of newer neuromuscular blocking drugs for comparlsion with presently used drugs of alternatively, for delerminig the effects of blocking drugs in altered physilogical states.
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