Muscle Rigidity Following Administration of Succinylcholine

Abstract

An episode of persistent generalized muscular rigidity in response to succinylcholine was described and 10 other reported instances of this abnormal response were reviewed. This rigidity represents a contracture such as that seen in some patients with myotonia dystrophica after succinylcholine, and that patients exhibiting this response have undiagnosed myotonia. The muscle contracture of undiagnosed myotonia is one cause of idiopathic hyperpyrexia during general anesthesia.