Use of remifentanil and propofol without muscle relaxant with Duchenne muscular dystrophy - A case report

• Published in: Anesthesia and pain medicine (Korean society of anesthesiologists) Vol. 13; no. 1; pp. 30 - 33
• Main Authors: Kim, Heung Soo, Baek, Seung Youp, Park, Dong Ho, Ryu, Keon Hee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 대한마취통증의학회 31.01.2018
• Subjects: 마취과학
• ISSN: 2383-7977; 1975-5171; 2383-7977
• DOI: 10.17085/apm.2018.13.1.30

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a relatively rare muscle disease with severe symptoms. Owing to the commonly limited mouth opening, cervical spine immobility, and deformation, DMD patients often present with a difficult airway. Patients with DMD are sensitive to sedation, anesthesia, and neuromuscular blockade. This risk increases as the disease progresses with age. The anesthetic management of these patients can cause various issues, presenting a challenge to anesthesiologists. We administered anesthesia for an orchiectomy in a patient with testicular cancer using total intravenous anesthesia with propofol and remifentanil without muscle relaxants. Although the patient was Mallampati grade IV due to neck stiffness, tracheal intubation was successfully performed with a portable videolaryngoscope. The intraoperative course was uneventful and recovery was rapid without postoperative complications. In conclusion, anesthesia without a muscle relaxant was successful and the patient recovered rapidly, even with a difficult tracheal intubation. KCI Citation Count: 0