Association between joint dislocation and malignant hyperthermia

Abstract

Malignant hyperthermia is a potentially fatal autosomal dominant hypermetabolic pharmacogenetic syndrome resulting from altered intracellular calcium dynamics in skeletal muscle, triggered by halogenated anaesthetics and suxamethonium. Current evidence suggests a degree of association between malignant hyperthermia and joint dislocations. We evaluated 162 patients with a personal or family history of malignant hyperthermia utilising a standardised protocol. We found a significantly higher incidence of joint dislocations in patients with malignant hyperthermia compared to non-susceptible patients (11% versus 0%, p = 0.002). This study contributes to understanding the long-term clinical manifestations of malignant hyperthermia and consequently may help develop clinical management strategies which incorporate the risk of joint dislocations, such as care in positioning during anaesthesia, and therapeutic interventions to improve quality of life.