[Symptoms of acute cerebral hernia following induction of anesthesia in hydrocephalus--malignant hyperthermia in reality].

We report the case of a 4.9-year-old boy with congenital hydrocephalus and obstruction of his shunt who just after the induction of anaesthesia suddenly developed generalized muscle rigidity that made intubation impossible. Because of temporary mydriasis the situation could hardly be differentiated from acute cerebral herniation. The lack of any decrease in muscle tone after emergency trephination and drainage of the right lateral ventricle and the immediate improvement following intravenous dantrolene left no doubt about the diagnosis of malignant hyperthermia. The diagnosis was confirmed by the increase in serum creatine phosphokinase and the documentation of massive myoglobinuria. Reconstruction of the course of the first anaesthetic necessary for shunt implantation at the age of 62 days revealed that the same symptoms already had occurred. However, they then were not attributed to malignant hyperthermia but interpreted as symptoms of acute herniation. A detailed description of this first anaesthetic is given which again elucidates the problems associated with the abrupt onset of muscular hypertonus in a patient with neurologic disorder; moreover this may well be the first published case report of malignant hyperthermia at the age of just 2 months.