Can a person who has malignant hyperthermia get a breast augmentation?

It is absolutely possible for a patient with malignant hyperthermia to have a breast augmentation.  The triggering agents for malignant hyperthermia are the inhalation agents used for general anesthesia and drugs that are used for muscle relaxation.  Patients with MH who desire breast augmentation can have the procedure done utilizing alternate forms of anesthesia.  The method I would suggest is Total IV Anesthesia using Propofol which is not a triggering agent for MH.  For safety reasons, I would only consider performing your surgery in the hospital and not in an office setting.  You should only consider surgery with a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon given your history of MH.

I have heard of patients with a genetic predisposition to malignant hyperthermia. If you have that I would seek council from an anestheisiololgist to assess your risk.

It is totally possible to undergo breast augmentation even with your history of malignant hyperthermia. I have experience of this very scenario and everything went fine without any problems. The preoperative preparation was important. Records of the patient's malignant hyperthermia episode were obtained to identify the likely anaesthetic agents that triggered it. Further careful evaluation of the patient's history was carried out to identify any familial or genetic elements. A plan was formulated with the anaesthesiologist as to which drugs and anaesthetic agents would pose the least risk. On the day of surgery, all relevant staff were forewarned of the possibility of malignant hyperthermia and the "malignant hyperthermia emergency kit" was made ready and checked and rechecked. Anaesthesia, surgery and postoperative recovery were entirely uneventful. 

Hi,Thanks for your question.  I think you can have breast augmentation performed safely with the use of specialized anesthesia.  I would recommend having a discussion with your anesthesia provider to understand the best method for anesthesia in your case which would likely involve the use of total IV anesthesia and avoidance of agents that trigger MH.  It is important to visit with a board certified plastic surgeon to discuss your surgery.RegardsSteven Camp, MD

Thank you for the question. It is likely that you will be able to have the procedure performed but great care must be taken to avoid the use of any “ triggering agents”Malignant hyperthermia is a rare life-threatening condition usually triggered by exposure to certain drugs used for  general anesthesia. Susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia  is  often inherited as an autosomal dominant disorder. Malignant hyperthermia is usually revealed by anesthesia or when a family member  develops the symptoms.The incidence is 1:5000 to 1;50,000-100,000  procedures involving general anesthesia.Treatment involves the intravenous administration of dantrolene,  discontinuation  of triggering agents, and supportive therapy (directed at correcting hyperthermia, acidosis, and organ dysfunction).It would be in your best interest to be taken care of by a board-certified plastic surgeon, a board-certified anesthesiologist, in a fully accredited facility prepared to manage any number of unusual medical emergencies.I hope this helps.

Hello, thank you for your question. As  you may know, malignant hyperthermia is triggered by certain anesthetic agents (inhaled anesthesia) as well as depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents in susceptible individuals. I never use these for breast augmentation, but it mainly depends on the doctor's protocol. There shouldn't be any problems as other anesthetic agents, including the ones normally used for this procedure, do not trigger this response. My advise, just tell your plastic surgeon, he'll be able to do all necessary adjustments within the team's protocol to ensure you have a safe procedure. Good luck with your surgery.