Many adverse effects of succinylcholine are due to fasciculations. Fasciculation is a brief twitch caused by the firing of one motor unit. This twitch is too weak to move a limb. Fasciculations arise as a result of (pre junctional) spontaneous depolarization of a lower motor neuron leading to synchronous contraction of all the skeletal muscle fibers within a single motor unit. An example of a normal spontaneous depolarization is the constant contractions of cardiac muscle, causing the heart to beat.
A fasciculation or muscle twitch is a small, local involuntary muscle contraction and relaxation which may be visible under the skin. Deeper Areas can be detected by electromyography (EMG) testing, though they can happen in many parts of the body. Obese patients and pregnant patients have less visible twitches d/t increased level of progesterone. Fasciculations signal the onset of paralysis…
