Sudden cardiac arrest during adenotonsillectomy in a patient with subclinical Duchenne's muscular dystrophy

We describe a four-year-old boy of Indian descent who had elective adenotonsillectomy for chronic sore throat and partial airway obstruction. About 10 minutes into the procedure, the patient suddenly developed cardiac asystole. After prolonged cardiac resuscitation, recovery was achieved. No permanent neurologic deficits resulted. The child was later found to have a strong family history of Duchenne's muscular dystrophy (DMD) and an elevated serum creatine kinase level documented since shortly after birth. We reviewed several case reports substantiating the risk for cardiac arrest during general anesthesia in DMD patients, and we concluded that DMD is a little-known risk for cardiac arrest during general anesthesia. The otolaryngologist must be aware of this potential complication, because tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy are commonly indicated for children at an age when DMD may be subclinical.