Forty-three patients with Duchenne's pseudohypertrophic muscular dystrophy receiving a total of 61 general anaesthetics were reviewed to assess the effect of the anaesthetic with particular regard to rise in temperature and its relationship, if any, to serum creatine phosphokinase (C.P.K.) levels.
All popular forms of anaesthetic were administered to these patients, who had a wide range of C.P.K. levels. No patient developed hyperpyrexia or had a cardiac arrest.
The features of Duchenne's dystrophy are described, the complications reviewed in the literature are outlined, and some recommendations about the anaesthetic management are made.
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