Malignant Hyperthermia - 3
MH - Historically Speaking
1960: Denborough and Lovell first described "accelerated metabolism under anesthesia" in a 21 year old male student undergoing general anesthesia
for repair of a leg fracture. Preoperative evaluation revealed that 10 family members had died under ether anesthesia! The patient was assured that ether would not be used
during his anesthetic, rather the new and "safer" inhalational agent, halothane, would be used. Fortunately, the patient did survive the resulting MH episode. 1960's: Additional cases in other families were described.
Porcine stress syndrome (PSS) found to be an excellent model for human MH.
1975: dantrolene found to be effective in dealing with PSS
1979: FDA approves dantrolene
1980's: caffeine-halothane contracture testing (CHCT) of biopsied muscle developed
(MH Association of the U.S.) formed: MHAUS (www.mhaus.org) 39 East State Street P.O. Box 1069 Sherbourne, NY 13460-1069 800-98-MHAUS or 607-674-7901 Fax: 607-674-7910 Fax on demand: 800-440-9990email: mhaus@norwich.net MH Hotline: 1-800-MH-HYPER, 1-800-644-9737 1985: Lopez et al: MH myoplasmic calcium levels lowered by dantrolene
1990's: Genetic markers uncovered
2005: Molecular Genetic Diagnostic Testing Available
2008: Beginning development of in-vivo metabolic testing