[Suspected case of postoperative malignant hyperthermia treated with dantrolene one week after neurosurgery]

We report the case of a 16-year-old man who presented with hyperthermia (>40°C), an elevated creatine kinase level (>64,000 IU · l-1), and myoglobinuria one week after undergoing two successive neurosurgeries for a brain hemorrhage under sevoflurane anesthesia. After having been diagnosed with suspicious atypical postoperative malignant hyperthermia, he was treated with dantrolene and his symptoms disappeared on the day of dantrolene administration. Central hyperthermia is defined as hyperthermia associated with thermoregulatory dysfunction after brainstem injury. Postoperative malignant hyperthermia can sometimes be difficult to distinguish from central hyperthermia, especially after neurosurgery. We could not eliminate the possibility of central hyperthermia as a cause of hyperthermia in the present patient If marked postoperative hyperthermia must be addressed immediately and managed appropriately in neurosurgical patients and dantrolene having few serious side effects, we were able to control his symptoms immediately after the infusion of dantrolene. Therefore, the administration of dantrolene should be considered when treating unidentified postoperative hyperthermia after a neurosurgical procedure.