Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Postanesthetic equine myopathy suggestive of malignant hyperthermia. A case report.
- Journal:
- Veterinary surgery : VS
- Year:
- 1989
- Authors:
- Klein, L et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Clinical Studies · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A horse that was put under anesthesia with halothane showed signs of a serious condition called malignant hyperthermia, which included rising levels of carbon dioxide, increased skin temperature and heart rate, and high levels of potassium and other substances in the blood. To treat this, the veterinarians stopped the halothane, cooled the horse down with ice and fluids, and provided oxygen. Although the horse initially seemed to recover, it later developed muscle weakness in both hind legs and dark urine. This muscle weakness improved after treatment with a medication called dantrolene, along with intravenous fluids and hydrocortisone. Ultimately, the horse's condition improved, but the exact cause of the initial problems remained uncertain.
Abstract
Signs of malignant hyperthermia, including progressive increases in PaCO2, skin temperature and heart rate, and elevated serum levels of potassium, inorganic phosphate, and creatine kinase, were identified in a halothane-anesthetized horse. Treatment was discontinuing halothane administration, applying ice and cold fluids, and hyperventilating with 100% oxygen. After an initial recovery, bilateral hindlimb myopathy and pigmenturia developed. The myopathy resolved after treatment with oral dantrolene, IV fluids, and hydrocortisone. Results of caffeine-halothane challenge, using semimembranosus muscle collected 2 weeks after the episode, were considered within normal limits for horses. The intraoperative abnormalities were evidently predictive of postanesthetic myopathy but the cause in this horse remained unclear.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2603379/