[Malignant hypothermia, 3 cases (author's transl)].

Malignant hypothermia seems to depend on a latent hereditary disposition, in the couse of which a defect in the storage of calcium at the cell membrane of the skeletal - and heart muscle happens. The aetiology of the disease could not be fully explained until now. The mechanism is especially triggered by medicaments in routine anaesthesiological use. There is no preanaesthesiologic method to detect persons prone to malignant hypothermia. 3 cases of this kind are dealt with in detail. All 3 patients came to death although the measures of treatment taken immediately corresponded completely to the present state of knowledge.