Thiopentone in Dystrophia Myotonica

Myotonic Dystrophy and its Differential Diagnosis

“…affected volunteer with small doses of 50 mg thiopental. Further observations of respiratory depression during and after administration of anesthetics were reported by Bourne & Zuck (1957), Langton-Hewer (1957), Kaufman (1960), Desnoyers (1961), and McClelland (1 960). Caughey & Myrianthopoulos (1963) reported a case of a twelve year old girl with My.D.…”

Exaggerated Physiological Responses to Propofol in Myotonic Dystrophy

“…While the patient was on the operating table, ventilation became grossly inadequate and cyanosis occurred. After operation the patient remained cyanotic and unconscious for 24 h. Many other reports have appeared subsequently in the literature [3][4][5][6][7]. These case reports attest to the ease with which apnoea can be induced with a variety of agents and techniques and the frequency of postoperative respiratory failure and delay in recovery.…”

Anaesthetic Problems in Myotonic Dystrophy

“…In one instance of thiopentone apnoea (table IV) improvement followed nalorphine (Bourke and Zuck, 1957) but, while it is probable that opiates enhance respiratory depression, clearly thiopentone precipitates the apnoea. In the currently reported case, premedication was with lorazepam which, having a stimulatory effect on respiration (Vickers, Schnieden and Wood-Smith, 1984), is unlikely to have contributed to the apnoea.…”