Anesthetic management of donor nephrectomy for a recipient with history of malignant hyperthermia: avoiding a transferred trigger

We describe a case of living unrelated renal transplantation from a non-malignant hyperthermia (MH) susceptible donor to an MH-susceptible recipient, along with its intraoperative and perioperative considerations. The renal transplant recipient reported a personal history of MH requiring intensive care unit admission. A nontriggering anesthetic was therefore chosen for the unrelated donor to avoid possible triggering via the transplanted kidney to the MH-susceptible recipient. This case provides a unique opportunity to review the concepts of antigen transfer related to transplant anesthesia, as well as the importance of communication among anesthesia and surgical teams to promote patient safety.