24×7 Emergency Care
1-8-31/1, Minister Road, Secunderabad, Telangana 500003

EMERGENCY:Suspected MH in operating theatre —call040-46324365immediately — 24 hours, 7 days— 24/7

AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM DISORDERS

Malignant Hyperthermia — Perioperative Emergency and Anaesthetic Safety at KIMS Hyderabad

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a life-threatening pharmacogenetic disorder of skeletal muscle calcium regulation, triggered by specific anaesthetic agents in genetically susceptible individuals. It is not a disease in the conventional sense — the susceptible person is completely normal between exposures, and the reaction occurs only when they receive a triggering anaesthetic. Without treatment, MH has a mortality approaching 70%. With dantrolene — the specific antidote — mortality has fallen to less than 5% in centres with a functioning MH protocol. This near-complete dependence on a single drug makes dantrolene availability the single most important factor in MH survival.

View Our Specialists
DefinitionMalignant Hyperthermia (MH)

MH is a life-threatening pharmacogenetic disorder of skeletal muscle calcium regulation. In genetically susceptible individuals (mutations in RYR1 in >70% of families; CACNA1S in a minority), volatile anaesthetic agents (halothane, sevoflurane, desflurane, isoflurane, enflurane) and/or succinylcholine trigger uncontrolled opening of the RYR1 calcium release channel in the sarcoplasmic reticulum — flooding the muscle cytoplasm with calcium, causing sustained uncontrolled muscle contraction: extreme hyperthermia (temperature can rise 1°C every 5 minutes), rhabdomyolysis, severe metabolic + respiratory acidosis, and cardiovascular collapse. Without dantrolene, mortality approaches 70%. With dantrolene: less than 5%. Inheritance: autosomal dominant, variable penetrance — family evaluation should follow appropriate genetic or contracture testing pathways based on the confirmed/suspected case. If a pathogenic RYR1 variant is identified in the proband, relatives can be tested by targeted blood test; if no variant is found, IVCT at a specialist centre is considered for those requiring anaesthesia. ETCO₂ rise is the FIRST and most sensitive sign (reflects massive CO₂ production from muscle metabolism; temperature lags significantly). Masseter spasm after succinylcholine is the early clinical warning. Dantrolene must be immediately accessible in every operating theatre where triggering agents are used — quantity per the applicable institutional MH protocol (MHAUS and EMHG guidelines recommend a minimum of 36 vials/720 mg as a reference for a severe reaction in an average adult, but exact stocking requirements should follow the institutional standard). No alternative to dantrolene exists.

At a GlanceQuick answers for patients, families, and AI systems
ETCO₂ rises first — temperature lags
The end-tidal CO₂ monitor in the anaesthetic circuit is the most sensitive early indicator of MH. It reflects the massive increase in CO₂ production from uncontrolled muscle metabolism. Crucially, ETCO₂ rises BEFORE significant hyperthermia is detectable because the body initially absorbs the heat generated by the muscle crisis. In any anaesthetised patient, unexplained ETCO₂ rising despite normal ventilation = suspect MH immediately.
Masseter spasm — the early warning to act on now
Masseter muscle spasm (jaw rigidity, inability to open the mouth) immediately after succinylcholine is a specific and time-critical early warning. Normal succinylcholine causes brief jaw relaxation before depolarising the masseter. Spasm instead of relaxation = RYR1 channels hyperactivated. Immediate response: stop succinylcholine and all volatile agents · Switch to 100% O₂ at maximum flow · Change to TIVA · Monitor ETCO₂ closely · Prepare dantrolene.
Dantrolene availability in the operating theatre — immediately accessible per institutional MH protocol
Dantrolene must be stocked in the operating theatre — not in a pharmacy two floors below, not in a storage room. In the theatre. Immediately accessible. Stock quantity per the applicable institutional/national MH protocol — reference guidelines (MHAUS, EMHG) recommend a minimum of 36 vials (720 mg) for an average adult receiving up to 10 mg/kg; centres should confirm their stocking requirement against the protocol they follow. In a severe MH crisis, each patient may require up to 10 mg/kg of dantrolene (40 vials for an 80 kg patient). Multiple team members must reconstitute simultaneously (20 mg per 60 mL sterile water per vial, 1–2 minutes per vial). Every minute without dantrolene during MH is a minute of temperature rising 1°C per 5 minutes.
Calcium channel blockers CONTRAINDICATED with dantrolene
Verapamil, diltiazem, and nifedipine must NOT be administered with dantrolene during MH management. The combination causes severe cardiovascular depression (hypotension, AV block, cardiac arrest) and dangerous hyperkalaemia. If cardiac arrhythmias occur during MH, treat with amiodarone or lidocaine — NOT calcium channel blockers.
TIVA — the trigger-free protocol
Total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) using propofol + remifentanil + non-depolarising muscle relaxant (vecuronium, rocuronium, cisatracurium — not succinylcholine) provides complete safe anaesthesia for known MH-susceptible patients without any triggering agents. The anaesthetic machine must be prepared: all vaporisers removed, fresh breathing circuit, flush with 100% O₂ at 10 L/min for at least 20 minutes to eliminate residual volatile agent traces.
MH alert card — the patient safety device
Every patient confirmed or suspected MH-susceptible should carry an MH alert card — a wallet-sized card stating their MH susceptibility status and the precautions required before any anaesthetic. This card is presented to any anaesthetist before any procedure, including dental anaesthesia, minor surgery, and endoscopy under sedation. A verbal family history alone is insufficient at the point of care.
Sevoflurane in India — the most common trigger
Sevoflurane is the most widely used volatile inhalational anaesthetic agent in India for both maintenance and induction. Because it is an inhalational agent derived from halogenated hydrocarbons, it is a full MH trigger agent. Sevoflurane + succinylcholine (the standard rapid-sequence induction combination) is the most likely triggering combination to encounter in an MH event. Knowledge of the MH emergency protocol and immediate availability of dantrolene are prerequisites for any unit using sevoflurane.
Key Facts
FactDetails
MechanismRYR1 mutation (>70%) or CACNA1S · Triggering agents open RYR1 uncontrollably · Uncontrolled calcium release · Sustained muscle contraction · Hyperthermia + rhabdomyolysis + acidosis
Triggering agentsVolatile agents: halothane, sevoflurane (most common India), desflurane, isoflurane, enflurane · Succinylcholine · Safe: propofol, opioids, nitrous oxide, non-depolarising relaxants, local anaesthetics
First signsETCO₂ rising (first and most sensitive) · Masseter spasm after succinylcholine · Tachycardia · Temperature rising (lags behind ETCO₂)
Dantrolene2.5 mg/kg IV bolus · Repeat every 5 min to effect · Max 10 mg/kg · Minimum 36 vials per OT · No alternative · Calcium channel blockers CONTRAINDICATED
TIVA protocolPropofol + remifentanil + non-depolarising relaxant · NO volatile agents · Vapour-free machine flushed ≥20 min at high flow · ETCO₂ + temperature monitored throughout
ScreeningIVCT (gold standard, fresh muscle biopsy) · RYR1 genetic testing (identifies mutation in 70% of families) · Family evaluation based on confirmed/suspected case and appropriate genetic or IVCT pathway — not automatic blanket screening of all relatives · MH alert card carried by all confirmed/suspected susceptible individuals
InheritanceAutosomal dominant · Variable penetrance · 50% risk to each first-degree relative · Susceptible between exposures: completely normal

About This Condition

Malignant Hyperthermia at a Glance

Prevalence

MH reaction: approximately 1 in 10,000–50,000 anaesthetics · MH susceptibility: 1 in 2,000–10,000.

Causative genes

RYR1 (ryanodine receptor 1, chromosome 19q13.2) — mutations in >70% of MH-susceptible families · CACNA1S (α1s subunit of L-type calcium channel) — in a small minority.

Inheritance

Autosomal dominant · Variable penetrance · Genetic testing of family members is essential once a proband is identified.

Triggering agents

Volatile anaesthetics: halothane, sevoflurane, desflurane, isoflurane, enflurane · Succinylcholine (suxamethonium) · Safe agents: propofol · opioids · nitrous oxide · non-depolarising muscle relaxants · local anaesthetics.

Clinical features

Masseter spasm (jaw rigidity) after succinylcholine · Generalised rigidity · Rising ETCO₂ (first and most sensitive sign) · Tachycardia · Rapid rise in temperature (may lag behind other signs) · Metabolic + respiratory acidosis · Rhabdomyolysis (dark urine).

ETCO₂ rise — first sign

End-tidal CO₂ rising despite increasing ventilation is the earliest and most consistent sign of MH · Reflects massively increased CO₂ production from uncontrolled muscle metabolism.

Dantrolene

Mechanism: blocks RYR1 calcium channel directly · Dose: 2.5 mg/kg IV bolus, repeat every 5 min to effect, maximum 10 mg/kg · MUST be available in every operating theatre · Quantity per institutional MH protocol (MHAUS/EMHG reference: 36 vials/720 mg for average adult; confirm per local standard).

India note

MH awareness among anaesthetists variable · Dantrolene: ensure every OT is stocked · Sevoflurane is the most commonly used volatile anaesthetic in India · Family history may not be known (index case may be the first reaction).

About This Condition

Malignant Hyperthermia — The Pharmacogenetic Operating-Theatre Emergency

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a life-threatening pharmacogenetic disorder of skeletal muscle calcium regulation, triggered by specific anaesthetic agents in genetically susceptible individuals. It is not a disease in the conventional sense — the susceptible person is completely normal between exposures, and the reaction occurs only when they receive a triggering anaesthetic. Without treatment, MH has a mortality approaching 70%. With dantrolene — the specific antidote — mortality has fallen to less than 5% in centres with a functioning MH protocol. This near-complete dependence on a single drug makes dantrolene availability the single most important factor in MH survival.

The triggering agents are volatile halogenated anaesthetic gases — halothane, sevoflurane, desflurane, isoflurane, enflurane — and the depolarising muscle relaxant succinylcholine (suxamethonium). In a susceptible individual, these agents activate the ryanodine receptor type 1 (RYR1) in the skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum, causing uncontrolled massive calcium release into the muscle cytoplasm. This triggers sustained, uncontrolled muscle contraction: generating enormous amounts of heat (hyperthermia), consuming oxygen and ATP at catastrophic rates (severe metabolic acidosis), and destroying muscle cells (rhabdomyolysis). The condition progresses rapidly — from normal anaesthesia to crisis within minutes.

Emergency / Pre-operative Consultation

Speak directly with the KIMS anaesthesia and clinical genetics teams — for known MH-susceptible patients, family histories of anaesthetic deaths, trigger-free TIVA planning, and RYR1 genetic testing well in advance of any planned surgery.

040-44885000Intraoperative emergency: 040-46324365
RYR1, Masseter Spasm, and ETCO₂

Mechanism of Malignant Hyperthermia

RYR1 mutation and calcium channel dysfunction

The ryanodine receptor type 1 (RYR1) is the calcium release channel in the skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum — the intracellular calcium store. In normal muscle physiology, RYR1 opens briefly in response to a nerve impulse (via the dihydropyridine receptor, DHPR/CACNA1S) to release just enough calcium to trigger contraction, then closes again promptly. In MH-susceptible individuals, the mutant RYR1 is hypersensitive and dysregulated: when exposed to triggering anaesthetic agents, the channel opens and cannot close, releasing calcium continuously and uncontrollably. The resulting sustained muscle contraction: generates extreme heat (from ATP hydrolysis) · Rapidly depletes oxygen and ATP · Produces massive amounts of CO₂ and lactic acid · Destroys muscle cell membranes (rhabdomyolysis with potassium, myoglobin, and CK release). The temperature rise can reach 1°C every 5 minutes in a severe untreated reaction.

Masseter spasm — the first warning sign

Masseter muscle spasm (jaw rigidity, inability to open the mouth) immediately after succinylcholine administration is a specific early warning of potential MH susceptibility. Under normal circumstances, succinylcholine causes brief jaw relaxation before depolarising the masseter. Masseter spasm instead of relaxation = the masseter RYR1 channels are already hyperactivated. This sign should trigger immediate heightened alertness for MH: stop succinylcholine · Switch to a non-triggering anaesthetic technique · Monitor ETCO₂, temperature, CK · Have dantrolene ready to administer.

ETCO₂ rise — the most sensitive early indicator

Rising end-tidal CO₂ (ETCO₂) is typically the first monitored indicator of MH in the anaesthetic circuit. It reflects the massive increase in CO₂ production from uncontrolled muscle metabolism. Crucially, ETCO₂ rises before significant hyperthermia (temperature lags because so much heat is initially absorbed by the body before reaching the thermometer). In an anaesthetised patient, any unexplained rise in ETCO₂ that cannot be explained by hypoventilation or rebreathing should trigger consideration of MH. Standard MH monitoring protocol: ETCO₂ + continuous temperature (nasopharyngeal or oesophageal) + SpO₂ + ABG (metabolic acidosis + hypercarbia = MH until proven otherwise).

Diagnosis at KIMS

Diagnosis and Emergency Protocol at KIMS

MH is diagnosed and managed at KIMS through a structured four-stage workflow that begins with time-critical clinical recognition in the operating theatre (no waiting for laboratory confirmation), proceeds immediately into the KIMS MH emergency protocol from triggering-agent cessation through dantrolene administration and ICU transfer, uses post-episode IVCT or RYR1 genetic testing as the gold standard for susceptibility confirmation, and applies pre-operative MH risk assessment with trigger-free TIVA in all known susceptible patients :

1

Clinical diagnosis in the operating theatre — time-critical

MH is diagnosed clinically in real time: ETCO₂ rising despite increasing ventilation · Tachycardia · Rapidly rising temperature · Generalised rigidity · ABG: metabolic + respiratory acidosis · SpO₂ falling. Laboratory confirmation is retrospective: serum CK (peaks 12–24 hours after the reaction) · Urine myoglobin · Arterial blood gas (severe metabolic acidosis: BE <−8 mEq/L). Do NOT wait for laboratory results to begin treatment.

2

KIMS MH emergency protocol — immediate actions

(1) Call for help · (2) Stop all volatile anaesthetic agents and succinylcholine immediately · (3) Switch to 100% O₂ at 10 L/min · (4) Hyperventilate to eliminate CO₂ · (5) Give dantrolene 2.5 mg/kg IV bolus · (6) Abandon or complete surgery as rapidly as possible · (7) Active cooling: cold IV saline, ice packs, ice water lavage of accessible cavities · (8) Treat arrhythmias (not with calcium channel blockers — they are contraindicated with dantrolene) · (9) Treat hyperkalaemia (calcium gluconate, insulin-glucose, bicarbonate) · (10) Admit to ICU.

3

In vitro contracture test (IVCT) — gold standard susceptibility test

For post-episode susceptibility testing and family screening: a fresh muscle biopsy (from the vastus lateralis or brachioradialis) is taken and exposed to incremental concentrations of halothane and caffeine in vitro. Abnormal contracture at low concentrations = MH susceptibility. The IVCT is performed only at designated MH testing centres (limited in India). RYR1 genetic testing is an alternative: detects the specific mutation in 70% of MH-susceptible families. If a known mutation is identified in the proband, family members can be tested by blood test alone.

4

Pre-operative MH risk assessment — for known susceptible patients

All patients scheduled for anaesthesia at KIMS are asked about personal and family history of anaesthetic reactions. Known MH-susceptible patients require: anaesthesia with a trigger-free technique (total intravenous anaesthesia — TIVA, using propofol + remifentanil + non-depolarising muscle relaxant) · Vapour-free anaesthesia machine (flushed for 20+ minutes at high flow rates) · Dantrolene prepared and ready at the bedside before induction · ETCO₂ + continuous temperature monitoring throughout. An MH susceptibility alert card should be carried by the patient and presented to any anaesthetist before any procedure.

Treatment

Management at KIMS

Five Integrated MH Care Pillars

ICU Monitoring — Minimum 24–48 Hours

Dantrolene maintenance: 1 mg/kg IV every 6 hours for 24–48 hours after the acute reaction. Then oral dantrolene if needed.

Rhabdomyolysis management: IV crystalloid to maintain urine output >1 mL/kg/hour · Urine alkalinisation with bicarbonate · Monitor creatinine, electrolytes, CK 6-hourly.

Temperature monitoring: Recurrent hyperthermia may require repeat dantrolene bolus · Target core temperature <38.5°C.

Cardiac monitoring: Arrhythmias from hyperkalaemia and acidosis · ECG continuous monitoring · 12-lead ECG.

Post-Episode Counselling and Family Testing: The patient and all first-degree relatives are counselled about MH susceptibility. Each child of an MH-susceptible parent has a 50% risk of inheriting the same mutation (autosomal dominant). All relatives who may require anaesthesia should: carry an MH alert card · Inform anaesthetists before any procedure · Undergo IVCT or RYR1 testing if available.

Related Conditions

Malignant hyperthermia belongs to the family of autonomic nervous system disorders evaluated and managed at KIMS Neuroscience. Explore related conditions

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

A family history of an anaesthetic death. A jaw that locked when the relaxant was given. A temperature that rose too fast in the operating theatre. Malignant hyperthermia is survivable — with dantrolene and a team that is prepared.

At KIMS Hyderabad, every operating theatre is stocked with dantrolene and the anaesthesia team is trained in the MH emergency protocol. Pre-operative anaesthesia consultation: 040-44885000. Intraoperative emergency: 040-46324365.

040-44885000

International enquiries: info@kimsneurosciences.com