[Malignant hyperthermia in a pig anesthesized with desflurane]

A large-white pig that had not been genetically selected to develop malignant hyperthermia (MH) during anesthesia nevertheless suffered an episode of severe MH after repeated exposure to increasing concentrations of desflurane. MH is a hypermetabolic alteration that may develop in susceptible patients who have inhaled certain drugs or agents that act as triggers. Early identification and appropriate treatment are essential to reduce the likelihood of death associated with this severe alteration. We report a case of late-developing MH triggered by low concentrations of inhaled desflurane.