Korean J Crit Care Med.  2009 Aug;24(2):92-98. 10.4266/kjccm.2009.24.2.92.

Dantrolene and Post-operative Hyperthermia: A Case Report

• Koo JK
• Kim CH
• Lim AL
• Kwon SA
• Park JY
• Lee SJ
• Hyun IG
• Yoo JH

• KMID: 2228353
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4266/kjccm.2009.24.2.92

Abstract

Malignant hyperthermia is a rare, fatal pharmacogenetic disorder that occurs during general anesthesia following exposure to a depolarizing muscle relaxant, such as succinylcholine, or volatile anesthetics. Clinical findings in malignant hyperthermia include muscle rigidity, sinus tachycardia, increased CO2 production, skin cyanosis with mottling, and marked hyperthermia. For treatment, cooling techniques must be accompanied by discontinuation of the provocative medication. Furthermore, dantrolene administration is the mainstay of treatment for malignant hyperthermia, and should be initiated as soon as the diagnosis is suspected. We recently experienced a case with post-operative fever of 41.0degrees C refractory to conventional anti-pyretic measures and finally resolved with dantrolene administration, in a patient with methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus monoarthritis of the knee and rapid progression of diffuse septic pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation.

Keyword

arthritis; dantrolene; malignant hyperthermia; pneumonia

MeSH Terms

Anesthesia, General
Anesthetics
Arthritis
Cyanosis
Dantrolene
Fever
Humans
Knee
Malignant Hyperthermia
Muscle Rigidity
Muscles
Pneumonia
Respiration, Artificial
Skin
Staphylococcus aureus
Succinylcholine
Tachycardia, Sinus
Anesthetics
Dantrolene
Succinylcholine