Malignant Hyperthermia: An Anesthetic Plan.

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a rare, inherited disorder of skeletal muscle. MH signs and symptoms are caused by an abnormal, diffuse release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Signs and symptoms include tachycardia, muscle rigidity, hyperthermia, increases in end-tidal carbon dioxide (CO₂) and oxygen consumption, and metabolic and respiratory acidosis. Specific anesthetic triggers for MH currently used in the United States include the volatile agents desflurane, isoflurane and sevoflurane and the depolarizing muscle relaxant succinylcholine. According to a review by Rosenberg, et al, MH occurrence during anesthesia ranges from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000-100,000 anesthesias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]