Anesthesia for a 10-year-old boy with Duchenne muscular dystrophy syndrome - A case report -

Abstract

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an eventually fatal disorder that is characterized by rapidly progressive muscle weakness and atrophy of muscle tissue. The clinical manifestations of DMD vary depending on the stages of the disease. Succinylcholine-induced hyperkalemia and the administration of volatile anesthetic agents, - particularly halothane, - during acute rhabdomyolysis are more likely to result in cardiac arrest and unsuccessful resuscitation in DMD patients than in the general public. This is a case report of a 10-year-old boy who underwent elective strabismus revision under general anesthesia. Anesthesia was induced and maintained with intravenous propofol and remifentanil, which was started at the targeted effect concentration of 3.0μg/ml and 3.5 ng/ml respectively via target controlled infusion (TCI). No inhaled anesthetic was used. In addition, an initial dose 0.4 mg/kg of atracurium was injected intravenously over 15s. The results of this case report found intravenous infusion of propofol, remifentanil and atracurium to be safe because the malignant hyperthermia did not occur. (Korean J Anesthesiol 2008; 55: 217～20)