Malignant Hyperthermia - Prevention

Prevention

In the past, the prophylactic use of dantrolene was recommended for MH susceptible patients undergoing general anesthesia. However, multiple retrospective studies have demonstrated the safety of trigger-free general anesthesia in these patients in the absence of prophylactic dantrolene administration. The largest of these studies looked at the charts of 2214 patients who underwent general or regional anesthesia for an elective muscle biopsy. About half (1082) of the patients were muscle biopsy positive for MH. Only five of these patients exhibited symptoms consistent with MH, four of which were treated successfully with parenteral dantrolene, and the remaining one recovered with only symptomatic therapy. After weighing its questionable benefits against its possible adverse effects (including nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness and prolonged duration of action of nondepolarising neuromuscular blocking agents), experts no longer recommend the use of prophylactic dantrolene prior to trigger-free general anesthesia in MH susceptible patients.

Anaesthesia for known MH susceptible patients requires avoidance of triggering agents (all volatile anaesthetic agents and succinylcholine). All other drugs are safe (including nitrous oxide), as are regional anaesthetic techniques. Where general anaesthesia is planned, it can be provided safely by removing vaporisers from the anaesthetic machine, placing a new breathing circuit on the machine, flushing the machine and ventilator with 100% oxygen at maximal gas flows for 20–30 minutes, and inducing and maintaining anaesthesia with nontriggering agents (e.g.: propofol). Modern anaesthetic machines have more rubber and plastic components which provide a reservoir for volatile anaesthetics, and should be flushed for 60 minutes.