Open AccessMasseter muscle rigidity: Atypical malignant hyperthermia presentation or isolated event?
Author(s) -
Tonia C. Onyeka
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
saudi journal of anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.416
H-Index - 24
eISSN - 1658-354X
pISSN - 0975-3125
DOI - 10.4103/1658-354x.71580
Subject(s) - medicine , malignant hyperthermia , laryngoscopy , airway , masseter muscle , anesthesia , intubation , anesthetic , presentation (obstetrics) , muscle rigidity , tracheal intubation , surgery , dentistry
This report describes a case of masseter muscle rigidity encountered at the start of an elective gynaecological procedure. At preoperative assessment, the patient, a 41-year old woman with a previous non-eventful surgical and anesthetic history was given a Mallampati score of 3. Following suxamethonium administration, full mouth opening proved difficult. Laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation were not possible leading to the eventual use of a laryngeal mask airway and resulting in a successful anaesthetic outcome. A number of possibilities that may account for this situation as well as viable options for airway access in such cases are discussed below.