Failure to induce malignant hyperthermia in myotonic goats

Six goats with myotonia congenita were exposed for 1 h to 1% halothane and a single injection of suxamethonium i.v. in an attempt to induce malignant hyperthermia. No evidence of malignant hyperthermia occurred. Suxamethonium did produce a myotonic response in each goat, lasting 10-20s, which was accompanied by a transient increase in aerobic metabolism as indicated by a decrease in PvO2 from 6.6 to 5.7 kPa, an increase in PaCO2 from 5.1 to 6.1 kPa and an increase in PVCO2 from 5.5 to 6.3 kPa. There was no evidence of any metabolic acidosis since the transient changes in pH and buffer base were consistent with the increase in carbon dioxide tension. It is concluded that in goats myotonia congenita does not predispose to susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia.