Malignant hyperpyrexia: an update for the otolaryngologist.

Malignant hyperpyrexia (MH) is a syndrome with a mortality of 60%, triggered by a broad variety of anesthetic agents. The most significant recent advance influencing the clinician's ability to safely manage MH individuals is the emergence of dantrolene sodium as both a prophylactic and a therapeutic agent. The purpose of this presentation is to review recent clinical and laboratory studies and advances which are the basis for establishing the pathophysiology of this syndrome and pharmacology of treatment. The FDA has recently approve intravenous Dantrium for treatment of malignant hyperpyrexia. Intravenous and oral Dantrium has much theoretical support and experimental evidence which suggests it will significantly reduce the mortality previously associated with this syndrome.