Early recognition of unsuspected malignant hyperthermia and successful management of serve myoglobinuric renal failure in subsequent rhabdomyolysis: a case report.

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a rare inherited disorder of skeletal muscle, its inheritance being autosomal dominant and its mutant gene located on chromosome 19. MH is occasionally observed during general anesthesia when using some special triggering agents. In the susceptible patient, it presents with a fulminant skeletal muscle hypermetabolic crisis and proceeds to serve rhabdomyolysis. Once rhabdomyolysis is established, acute renal failure is not an inevitable consequence, yet it is the fatal complication if the condition is not appropriately managed. We describe a case of acute renal failure in the setting of rhabdomyolysis in unsuspected MH, resulting in full recovery after intermittent hemodialysis. In this case, we emphasize the importance of early recognition of MH and the favorable prognosis of subsequent myoglobinuric renal failure if treated appropriately.