Anesthetic Management of Myotonic Dystrophy

I report the anesthetic management of two patients with myotonic dystrophy. These patients were brothers who were scheduled for total gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Anesthesia was maintained with neuroleptanesthesia and nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockers, avoiding inhalation anesthetics and deporalizing muscle blockers. At the end of operation, reversal of neuromuscular block with anticholinesterase was not performed. Younger brother was extubated uenvenful. Although the mechanical ventilation was necessary in the elder brother for 16 hours, he had a satisfactory course after the extubation. Both brothers had no complications, such as muscle rigidity, severe arrhthmias, throughout all perioperative course.