A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of different doses of rocuronium for general anesthesia on thyroid surgery

Background: The most common complication of thyroid anesthesia is recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, and anesthesia drugs affect the intraoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring indicators, especially nerve blockers, which can cause muscle relaxation and affect vocal cord contraction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the optimal dose of rocuronium during general anesthesia (GA) during thyroid surgery by meta-analysis.

Methods: Chinese and English databases were searched by the combination of "thyroid", "general anesthesia", and "rocuronium bromide". Publications which took double dose rocuronium GA surgery as the double group and normal dose rocuronium GA surgery as the normal group were included, and Review Manager 5.3 (Rev Man 5.3) was employed for meta-analysis.

Results: A total of fifteen publications were included in the meta-analysis and an overall heterogeneity test was conducted to obtain the results. Comparison of the operation time between the double group and the normal group showed the mean difference (MD): 20.93, 95% confidence interval (CI): (11.48, 30.39) min, Z=4.34, I²=94%, and P<0.0001, while that of bleeding volume between the double group and the normal group showed the MD: -24.34, 95% CI: (-28.11, -20.58) mL, Z=12.67, I²=91%, and P<0.0001. Comparison of drainage volume between the double group and the normal group showed the MD: 24.40, 95% CI: (19.84, 28.96) mL, Z=10.49, I²=68%, and P<0.0001, and between hospitalization days between the double group and the normal group showed the MD: -13.50, 95% CI: (-18.02, -8.97) days, Z=5.85, I²=99%, and P<0.0001. Finally, comparison of satisfaction between the double group and the normal group showed risk ratio (RR): 2.16%, 95% CI: (1.88%, 2.48%), Z=10.91, I²=0, and P<0.0001. Rev Man 5.3 was employed to obtain the funnel chart of each observation indicator, and the circles of some publications were concentrated on the midline and symmetrical, indicating the research accuracy was high and there was no bias in the publications.

Discussion: This meta-analysis confirmed that a double dose of rocuronium can meet the needs of anesthesia induction and GA during thyroid surgery.