Developing Effective Drills in Preparation for a Malignant Hyperthermia Crisis

A malignant hyperthermia (MH) crisis is a medical emergency. To give the patient the best possible chance for a successful outcome, a swift, coordinated, multidisciplinary team response is necessary. Malignant hyperthermia occurs infrequently and, as such, details about its diagnosis, treatment, and management must be reviewed and reinforced during periodic education sessions. An MH response plan should be developed to guide a multidisciplinary team during an MH crisis. This plan should be tailored to the needs of the individual health care organization and practiced and refined during periodic simulations of MH episodes, such as MH mock drills.