Anesthetic management of patients with Melkersson Rosenthal syndrome

Abstract

Melkersson Rosenthal Syndrome (MRS) is a rare disorder characterized by relapsing facial paralysis, persistent or recurrent orofacial edema, and lingua plicata. It may cause difficult airway, drug allergy, and angioedema. In our anesthetic management of two patients with MRS, preanesthetic immunological blood examination and skin tests for hypersensitivity to anesthetic drugs were applied. Because the principal goal is to avoid all factors that may stimulate, an allergic reaction, anesthetic drugs known to trigger urticaria were avoided. Body and operating room temperatures, changes of which may trigger allergic reactions, were kept constant during the perioperative period. Emergency precautions were taken for probable angioedema. MRS is a rare syndrome, and if its manifestations are misunderstood as simple facial paralysis, it may be overlooked by anesthesiologists. Anesthesiologists must be careful of several problems in patients with MRS.