Anaesthesia for cardiac surgery in children with nemaline myopathy

Nemaline myopathy is a rare congenital myopathy associated with skeletal deformities and respiratory complications. Three children with nemaline myopathy who underwent cardiac surgery are described where the heart rate decreased during induction of anaesthesia and body temperature increased during or after the surgery. The anaesthetic implications in the management of patients with nemaline myopathy are discussed.