MHAUS Newsletter, December 2007
In this issue:

MHAUS Responds to Misrepresentation of an MH Event on "Grey's Anatomy"

MHAUS responded swiftly to a November 1, 2007, ABC television episode of Grey’s Anatomy, in which a fictional patient developed malignant hyperthermia (MH) while undergoing cardiac catheterization.  “The episode is unrealistic and deceptive in the extreme,” wrote MHAUS President Henry Rosenberg, in a November 7, 2007, letter to Peter Horton, the show’s co-executive producer and director.  “The depiction of an episode of MH is untrue.”

 

During the program, a patient has open heart surgery, off pump, under awake epidural because of his “allergy” to anesthesia.  In the letter, MHAUS stated that “one does not make such a diagnosis without data,” but added “more disturbing is the description of MH as an allergy.”

 

The letter also noted the absence of any anesthesia professional in the care of the patient before, during or after the surgery.  This characterization “insults the over 60,000 anesthesia professionals who have dedicated their professional lives to the care of patients.”

 

The MHAUS administrative office received calls from concerned individuals as a direct result of this particular episode of Grey’s Anatomy.  “The success of the Grey’s Anatomy program should convey the power and believability of your work to your audience,” the letter stated.  “While ABC’s writer’s license is understood, you must also take on the responsibility of researching what is presented to the public.”

 

The letter commented on a statement by the ABC network that medical professionals review episodes to assure authenticity.  “If so,” the letter read, “someone was not doing his or her job.”

 

MHAUS has offered to help review future episodes through its Professional Advisory Council.  As of yet, MHAUS has not received a response to its letter.

 

MHAUS has also posted a clarification of the Grey’s Anatomy episode on its website at http://patients.mhaus.org/

Back to top

 

MHAUS Advocates Consolidation of MH Abstracts at 2008 ASA Meeting

Research in the area of malignant hyperthermia (MH) was well represented at the 2007 ASA Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California this fall.  However, the most challenging aspect to becoming acquainted with the developments surrounding MH research, as presented at this meeting, proved to be the number of different sessions across which the posters and abstracts were presented.  Hopefully, this factor did not reduce the impact of the research presented.  MHAUS will advocate for consolidation of MH-related research abstracts into one session at the ASA meeting next year.

 

MHAUS Scientific Officer Dr. Sharon J. Hirshey Dirksen has completed a summary, along with commentary, of the MH abstracts presented at the 2007 ASA Meeting.  Look for this complete report in the winter issue of The Communicator.

 

To search MH-related abstracts presented at the 2007 ASA Annual Meeting, visit http://www.asaabstracts.com/strands/asaabstracts/search.htm;jsessionid=8AA659207A479A355536E0B0D219D3AA

 

Type “malignant hyperthermia” into the title field and click search to locate all MH-related abstracts presented at the 2007 ASA Annual Meeting.  Or you can locate an individual MH abstract by typing its abstract number into the abstract number field.  The following MH-related abstracts were presented:

 

(1223)           Hyperthermia in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

(1032)           Trends and Outcomes of Malignant Hyperthermia

(1031)           Deaths Associated with Malignant Hyperthermia (1987-2006)

(1030)           Novel Causative RYR1 Mutations in Malignant Hyperthermia

(1588)           A Novel Ryanodine Receptor Gene Mutation Potentially Causative for

Malignant Hyperthermia

(1587)           Intramuscular Caffeine and Halothane Injection Detects Probands at Risk

for Malignant Hyperthermia

(503)                         Toward Updating the North American Malignant Hyperthermia Mutation

Panel

(1922)           Comparison of Therapeutic Effectiveness of Dantrolene and Ryanodex in

Porcine Malignant Hyperthermia

(1928)           Effects and safety of the Novel Formulation Ryanodex in Malignant

Hyperthermia Normal Swine

(716)             RYR1 Mutations in Canadian Subjects with Malignant Hyperthermia

Back to top

 

Not Too Early to Plan for the next MH Mini-Conference

The 2008 MH Mini-Conference is scheduled for September 27 and 28 in Phoenix, Arizona.  The conference will provide updates by medical professionals on current MH research and testing, which includes the latest on molecular genetic testing, as well as address any questions or concerns posed by those attending.  The conference is an excellent opportunity for patients and professionals to meet to share information.  Make your plans now to attend.

Back to top

 

MHAUS Honors Eight at Annual Recognition Reception

MHAUS honored eight recipients with six different awards at its annual Recognition Reception on October 15, 2007, during the ASA Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

 

The Media Award recognized Robert Morell, MD, editor and chief of Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation in Niceville, Florida, for his support of the educational mission of the Malignant Hyperthermia Association by encouraging the publication of information that relates to the clinical findings of MH.

 

The Outstanding Dedication to MHAUS Award recognized Harvey K. Rosenbaum, MD, clinical professor at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA for his leadership and vision in promoting the development of the “MH Case of the Month” on MHAUS’ website http://medical.mhaus.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Content.Display/PagePK/CaseOfTheMonth2.cfm

 

Frank Schuster, MD, of the University of Wurzburg, Department of Anesthesiology in Wurzburg, Germany, received the Daniel Massik Award for his manuscript entitled “A Minimally-Invasive Metabolic Test Detects Probands at Risk for Malignant Hyperthermia.”

 

A Special Mention Manuscript Award recognized Laura Schleelein, MD, of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for her manuscript entitled “Hyperthermia in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit – Is it Malignant Hyperthermia?”

 

James Chapin, MD, of the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska and Dorming Wong, MD, of California Anesthesia Associates Medical Group in Newport Beach, California, were the recipients of the 2007 MH Hotline Partnership Award.  This award recognizes special cases in which the 24/7 MH Hotline was used to solve MH cases in real time via the telephone or Internet.

 

A Special Recognition Award was presented to Paul Allen, MD, PhD of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, and to Susan Hamilton, PhD of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.  Dr. Allen was recognized for his work in understanding the pathophysiology of MH and the development of a new animal model for MH.  Dr. Hamilton was recognized for her work in understanding the structure and function of the ryanodine receptors and the development of a new animal model for MH.

 

You can read more about MHAUS’ Recognition Reception and the award winners in the upcoming winter issue of The Communicator.

Back to top