title: Malignant hyperthermia in the oral and maxillofacial surgery patient: an update.
abstract: Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a pharmacogenetic disorder of skeletal muscle that presents as a hypermetabolic response to potent volatile anesthetic gases, such as halothane, sevoflurane, desflurane, the depolarizing muscle relaxant succinylcholine, and, rarely in humans, to stresses, such as vigorous exercise and heat. The syndrome is likely to be fatal if untreated. Early recognition of the signs of MH provides the clinical diagnostic clues. Diagnostic testing relies on assessing the in vitro contracture response of biopsied muscle to halothane, caffeine, and other drugs. Dantrolene sodium is a specific antagonist of the pathophysiologic changes of MH and should be available wherever general anesthesia is administered. The prevention and treatment of acute episodes of this disorder is of paramount importance to the oral and maxillofacial surgeon. The management of such patients in the oral and maxillofacial surgery setting and the recent advances in the field of MH are presented.
authors.affiliation: School of Dental Sciences, Sharda University, Uttar Pradesh, India. pavanpatil2000@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Pavan Manohar
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Patil
mesh_terms: D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000009:adverse effects; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D000075202:Contraindications; D003620:Dantrolene / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008305:Malignant Hyperthermia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central; D003620:Dantrolene