Malignant hyperthermia in a myopathic child. Prolonged postoperative course requiring dantrolene.

An 18-month-old boy with congenital muscular dystrophy began to develop clear signs of the malignant hyperthermia syndrome after 85 min of halothane/nitrous oxide anaesthesia. Dantrolene, 2 mg/kg i.v., was immediately effective, but temperature, heart rate and carbon dioxide production were all increased for 2 days postoperatively in spite of repeated dantrolene administration.