Anaesthesia and the paediatric muscle disorders

Abstract

Paediatric muscle disorders have significant implications for anaesthetists. Their effects extend beyond skeletal muscle and manifestations in other organ systems are frequently seen; in addition, adverse reactions to anaesthetic drugs may result in fatality if unrecognised or inadequately treated. In the past, it was thought that muscular dystrophies and myopathies put a patient at increased risk of malignant hyperthermia, however, the link between these conditions has largely been dismissed and other anaesthetic catastrophes, such as anaesthesia-induced rhabdomyolysis, are now recognised. Undiagnosed muscle disorders put children at risk of experiencing adverse reactions to anaesthesia. A high index of suspicion should be exercised during preoperative review to facilitate anaesthetic choices and guide intraoperative management.