Abstract
A young healthy male, who had three consecutive episodes of postoperative hyperthermia was anaesthetized with special precautions to prevent malignant hyperthermia. Despite neuroleptic anaesthesia and dantrolene pretreatment, the patient experienced post-anaesthetic hyperthemia. The patient’s clinical picture was almost identical to the symptoms experienced by two of his maternal relatives. All three experienced nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps and high fever which occurred between five to seven hours after general anaesthesia. The serum potassium (K) and creatinine phosphokinase (CPK) levels determined during the hyperthermic episode and on the next day were not elevated. On the basis of the patient’s family history, his clinical picture, and his laboratory data, we speculate that this patient might have a form of malignant hyperthermia or a possible new variant.
Résumé
Un jeune homme en bonne santé ayant présenté trois épisodes consécutifs d’;hyperthermie post-opératoire a été anesthésié avec des précautions spéciales afin de prévenir l’hyperthermie maligne. Malgré l’anesthésie au neuroleptique et l’administration préalable de dantrolene, le patient a démontré des signes d’ hyperthermie post-anesthésique. Le tableau clinique du patient a été presqu’identique aux symptômes présentés par deux membres de sa parenté maternelle. Tous les trois ont eu des nausées, vomissements, crampes musculaires et température élevée survenant entre cinq et sept heures après l’anesthésie générate. Le potassium sérique (K) et la créatinine phosphokinase (CPK) mesurés lors de l’épisode hyperthermique et le jour suivant n’étaient pas élevés. Sur la base de l’histoire familiale du patient, son tableau clinique et ses données de laboratoire, on présume que ce patient peut avoir une autre forme d’hyperthermie maligne ou possiblement une nouvelle variante.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Gronert GA. Malignant hyperthermia. Anesthesiology 1980; 53:395–423.
Britt BA (ed). Malignant hyperthermia. International Anesthesiology Clinics. Boston, Little, Brown, 1979.
MillerR. Anesthesia, lsted. New York, Churchill Livingstone 1981; 1208–21.
Wingard DW. A stressful situation (Editorial): Anesth Analg 1980; 59:321–2.
Friesen CM,Brodsky JB,Dillingham MF. Successful use of dantrolene sodium in human malignant hyperthermia syndrome. Can Anaesth Soc J 1979; 26:319–21.
Britt BA. Dantrolene (Review Article). Can Anaesth Soc J 1984;31:61–75.
Fitzgibbons DC. Malignant hyperthermia following preoperative oral administration of dantrolene. Anesthesiology 1981; 54:73–5.
Ruhland G, Hinkle AJ. Malignant hyperthermia after oral and intravenous pre-treatment with dantrolene in a patient susceptible to malignant hyperthermia. Anesthesiology 1984; 60:159–60.
Grinberg R, Edelist G, Gordon A. Postoperative malignant hyperthermia in patients who received ‘safe’ anaesthetics. Can Anaesth Soc J. 1983; 30:273–6.
Flewellen EH, Nelson TE, Jones WP, Arens JF, Wagner DL. Dantrolene dose in awake man: implications for management of malignant hyperthermia. Anesthesiology 1983; 59:275–80.
Gronert GA, Thompson RL, Onfrio BM. Human malignant hyperthermia: awake episodes and correction by dantrolene. Anesth Analg 1980; 59:377–8.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lee, D.S., Adams, J.P. & Zimmerman, J.E. Malignant hyper-thermia: A possible new variant. Can Anaesth Soc J 32, 268–271 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03015141
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03015141