Use of Sugammadex in “Cannot Intubate, Cannot Ventilate” Scenarios: A Systematic Review of Case Reports

After an induction dose of rocuronium, sugammadex in a dose of 16 mg.kg -1 has been shown to provide early reversal of the neuromuscular blockade. However, the use of sugammadex to rescue a "cannot intubate, cannot ventilate" (CICV) scenario remains controversial. The aim of this systematic review was to discuss case reports describing the use of sugammadex as a rescue reversal in CICV scenarios and analyze the influencing factors potentially shaping the outcome of such reversal. The study has been registered on International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (CRD42024514255). We conducted a systematic review of the literature using PubMed, Medline, and Embase. Records were included if they were case reports or case series published in peer-reviewed journals, describing the administration of sugammadex as a rescue reversal in CICV scenarios, and including clinical outcomes and details of the management. Sources were last searched on November 30, 2023. The articles selected were initially screened based on their titles and abstracts, and then complete articles were examined to determine their eligibility and compliance with the inclusion criteria. Two independent authors evaluated the quality of the individual studies using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Case Reports. Eight articles were included in our review. In all patients, CICV scenarios were declared minutes following induction. In 6/8 cases (75%), adequate spontaneous ventilation was restored after the administration of sugammadex. In the remaining 2 cases, sugammadex administration resulted in an obstructed pattern of breathing, and surgical airway was the successful rescue technique. There was wide variability in the sugammadex dose with a median (range) of 14 (5-16) mg.kg -1 and median timing (range) from rocuronium administration of 6 (2-10) minutes. This case-report-based review is susceptible to reporting bias and may not encompass all pertinent data and adverse events. Also, cases with both favorable and unfavorable outcomes may have not been published, and the heterogeneity of cases limits the ability to draw definitive conclusions. In summary, although these case reports suggest that sugammadex might be helpful in CICV scenarios, further research is needed to confirm its effectiveness. However, due to the rare occurrence of CICV events, gathering sufficient data for conclusive evidence may be challenging.