Management of anesthesia in a pediatric patient with myotonic dystrophy type 1. Case report

Abstract

Myotonic dystrophy is a disease affecting the muscle fibers with loss of muscle mass. The principal characteristic of the disease is myotony or slow muscle relaxation following muscle contraction that is further aggravated as a result of stress, pain, cold, or by the administration of succinylcholine. Similar to other muscle pathologies, myotonic dystrophy is considered a multisystem disorder, usually with cardiac and respiratory involvement, a fact to be kept in mind when planning anesthesia. Moreover, there is a potential association with malignant hyperthermia or rhabdomyolysis associated with some muscle diseases. The case herein discussed is an example of the management of anesthesia in this group of patients to avoid the potential triggers of a myotonic crisis.