rca Revista Colombiana de Anestesiología Rev. colomb. anestesiol. 0120-3347 SCARE-Sociedad Colombiana de Anestesiología y Reanimación 10.1097/CJ9.0000000000000036 00019 Letter to the Editor Pre- and postoperative monitoring of neuromuscular block within the anesthesiologist's reach: is it possible? Barahona-Cabrera Fabricio a * Caballero-Lozada Fabricio b Ariza Fredy b c d e Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia Universidad del Valle Universidad del Valle Cali Colombia Department of Anesthesiology, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia. Universidad del Valle Department of Anesthesiology Universidad del Valle Cali Colombia Department of Anesthesiology, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia. Universidad del Valle Department of Anesthesiology Universidad del Valle Cali Colombia Fundación Valle del Lili, Cali, Colombia Fundación Valle del Lili Cali Colombia Universidad ICESI, Cali, Colombia Universidad Icesi Universidad ICESI Cali Colombia Universidad CES, Medellín, Colombia. Universidad CES Universidad CES Medellín Colombia Correspondence: Departamento de Anestesiología, Universidad del Valle, Calle 13 # 100-00, Cali, Colombia. E-mail: fabriciobarahona@gmail.com Apr-Jun 2018 46 2 180 181 This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License

The guidelines and regulations for the use of equipment in clinical practice are designed on the basis of scientific judgment supported by strong evidence. Different regulatory standards and clinical practice guidelines recommend the concurrent use of monitoring of neuromuscular blockade (MNMB) from induction to education of anesthesia when using neuromuscular blockers. It is quite concerning that the findings of numerous reports show that only a limited number of anesthetists systematically perform MNMB. Notwithstanding the availability of friendly modules, many of us do not use this approach, maybe due to lack of training or simply because we are not convinced of the benefits MNMB contributes.1

The design of new MNMB devices for mobile phones may facilitate access to the technology, reduce costs, and turn MNMB into a routine procedure under various scenarios, with a positive impact on the rigorous compliance of the minimum safety standards.2

We hereby submit to the Colombian Journal of Anesthesiology, our project entitled: "Pre-and post-operative monitoring of neuromuscular block within the anesthesiologist's reach: is it possible?" The project involves the development of an app for intelligent personal devices and a MNMB prototype using low cost, friendly, and portable acceleromyography as a solution to this delicate issue. With this project, we expect to reduce the morbid events associated with pharyngeal obstruction, hypoxemia, and acute respiratory failure.3 The formalities for patent registration and agreements for biomedical manufactured components and software are currently underway.

We believe that this paper is in line with the objectives of the journal, has not been disclosed through any other media and has no conflict of interests. We kindly request the Editor to summit our proposal to the scientific community and expect their feedback, contributions, questions, recommendations, and assistance to materialize this initiative that we consider so pressing.

Ethical disclosures

Protection of human and animal subjects. The authors declare that no experiments were performed on humans or animals for this study.

Confidentiality of data. The authors declare that they have followed the protocols of their work center on the publication of patient data.

Right to privacy and informed consent. The authors declare that no patient data appear in this article.

 References 1. Fabregat López J, Candia Arana CA, Castillo Monzón GC. Neuromuscular monitoring and its importance in neuromuscular blockade. Rev Colomb Anestesiol 2012;40:293-303. Fabregat López J Candia Arana CA Castillo Monzón GC Neuromuscular monitoring and its importance in neuromuscular blockade Rev Colomb Anestesiol 2012 40 293 303 2. González-Cárdenas VH, Salazar-Ramírez KJ, Coral-Sánchez GT. Postoperative residual paralysis in patients aged over 65 years old at the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit. Rev Colomb Anestesiol 2016;44:211-217. González-Cárdenas VH Salazar-Ramírez KJ Coral-Sánchez GT Postoperative residual paralysis in patients aged over 65 years old at the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit Rev Colomb Anestesiol 2016 44 211 217 3. Errando CL, Garutti I, Mazzinari G, et al. Residual neuromuscular blockade in the postanesthesia care unit. Observational cross-sectional study of a multicenter cohort. Minerva Anestesiol 2016;82:1267-1277. Errando CL Garutti I Mazzinari G Residual neuromuscular blockade in the postanesthesia care unit Observational cross-sectional study of a multicenter cohort Minerva Anestesiol 2016 82 1267 1277

Barahona-Cabrera F, Caballero-Lozada F, Ariza F. Pre-and postoperative monitoring of neuromuscular block within the anesthesiologist's reach: is it possible?. Rev Colomb Anestesiol. 2018;46:180-181.

The authors did not receive any funding for this article.

The authors have no conflict of interests to disclose.