[Malignant hyperthermia in Tuscany: a study of a five year period from 1986 to 1990]

The authors report the results of a survey on M. H. in Tuscany during five years from 1986 to 1990, in order to ascertain frequency, to point out the system of evaluation of the reported cases, to pick out risk-subjects, to find out the presence of dantrolene in various hospitals and to contribute to the surveys held all over the nation. That is the reason why all the persons responsible for Anaesthesiology Depts. and their collaborators were interested in this survey, through a questionnaire which, where necessary, was further developed. The great number of participants, who supplied their data, allowed is to establish trustworthy values of the set objectives. The number of MH cases was coincident with national and international data: the necessity emerged of an only collecting center and of a sale system of classification of data in order to record and compare them in an homogenous way. Detection of subjects was made possible, in most cases, by personal and familiar anamnesis, and it allowed the very few suspect cases to be sent to the specific centers. We recommend that dantrolene, even though present in most hospitals, be available more widespreadly.