Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 27, 2026

Halogenated Agent Delivery in Porcine Model of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome via an Intensive Care Unit Type Device
Published on: September 24, 2020
The severity of sevoflurane-induced malignant hyperthermia
T Migita1, K Mukaida, M Kobayashi
1Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan. migitataka@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
Background:
Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a potentially fatal complication of general anesthesia triggered by volatile anesthetics. In animal studies, sevoflurane has been reported to be a weak triggering agent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical severity of sevoflurane-induced MH compared to isoflurane.
Methods:
From the Japanese MH database containing information for 520 MH cases since 1961, we analyzed 147 cases classified by the MH Clinical Grading Scale (CGS) as 'very likely' or 'almost certain', accumulated from 1990 to 2009. Sevoflurane without succinylcholine (S-SCh (-) group) was given to 48 cases, and isoflurane without succinylcholine (I-SCh (-) group) was given to 30. Variables studied were outcome, CGS score, CGS rank, the first MH sign, and time from induction to onset of MH (occurrence time). Clinical signs and maximum laboratory data from six processes of the CGS were also analyzed. Each of the Mann-Whitney U-test or the unpaired t-test was used for group comparisons.
Results:
Mortality was 8.3% in the S-SCh (-) group and 10.0% in the I-SCh (-) group (P = 0.803). The CGS scores were 53.4 (SD, 12.2) and 52.3 (11.7) (P = 0.691), respectively. The five processes of the CGS did not differ between groups. Median occurrence times were 72.5 minutes (range, 36.3-127.5) and 65.0 minutes (30.0-131.3), respectively (P = 0.890).
Conclusion:
There were no clinically apparent differences between MH triggered by sevoflurane and isoflurane, and thus no evidence to support the postulate that sevoflurane is a weak or weaker MH triggering agent.
More Related Videos
04:56In Vitro Method to Control Concentrations of Halogenated Gases in Cultured Alveolar Epithelial Cells
Published on: October 23, 2018
03:02Application of Dixon's Up-and-Down Design to Estimate the Minimum Alveolar Concentration of Sevoflurane in Rats with Refined Movement Classification
Published on: July 25, 2025
Related Concept Videos
Increased Body Temperature
Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview
Types of Fever
Here are the different types of fever:
Acute Respiratory Failure-III
Homeostatic Imbalances in Body Temperature
Methods of reducing fever
Pharmacological Methods of Reducing Fever: