Dear
I am a member of a malignant hyperthermia (MH)-susceptible family and I reside in your treatment area. Exposure of an MH-susceptible individual to specific triggering agents (i.e., volatile inhalation anesthetics or succinylcholine) may initiate a potentially fatal MH reaction; therefore, these agents should not be employed for anesthesia in MH-susceptible patients.
It is important that any surgery I undergo be performed only at those facilities that are fully prepared to treat MH. While it is relatively easy to schedule elective surgery at such a hospital, it is more difficult to ensure I arrive at a prepared facility in the event of an emergency.
The Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States (MHAUS) and the Anesthetic Patient Safety Foundation both recommend every facility where general anesthesia is administered have in place a well-defined protocol and means to diagnose and treat MH. This includes continuous temperature monitoring during every general anesthetic and maintenance of an adequate supply of unexpired Dantrium IV or Dantrolene sodium for injection near the operating room. MHAUS recommends stocking thirty-six (36) vials of Dantrium IV/Dantrolene.
Please let me know if your hospital is adequately prepared to handle an MH crisis.
Brochures which describe MHAUS as well as how to manage MH are enclosed for your reference. You may wish to contact MHAUS directly for more information for your operating room staff.
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