What should you do when a patient experiences malignant hyperthermia in your ASC? Do you have adequate plans in place to transfer patients to a healthcare facility where they can receive extended care? New guidelines from the Ambulatory Surgery Foundation and Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States (MHAUS) aim to help ambulatory surgery facilities answer those and other crucial questions about handling MH emergencies.

Developed by a panel of experts in ambulatory surgical care, anesthesia, emergency medicine and MH, the guidelines address when, how and where patients with MH should be transferred, who should accompany patients during their transfer to receiving healthcare facilities, and how to ensure enough of the antidote drug — dantrolene sodium — is available throughout the process.

"ASCs that have comprehensive MH transfer plans in place prior to an MH event will help ensure that, should an MH crisis occur, staff will be prepared," says anesthesiologist and ASC medical director Keith Metz, MD, who helped develop the guidelines. Stressing the importance of effective communication "at all points along the transfer pathway," MHAUS President Henry Rosenberg, MD, CPE, says the guidelines "are intended to assist ASCs in developing procedures and policies that will provide optimum care for the patient experiencing an MH crisis during transport and ensure communication during every step of the transfer process."

To purchase laminated posters of the MH patient transfer guidelines (priced at $55 each), call or visit the websites of either the Ambulatory Surgery Foundation (703-836-8808) or the Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States (607-674-7901).

Irene Tsikitas

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