Unexpected Myasthenic Crisis in Anesthesia for Magnetic Resonance Imaging - Diagnosis and Management

Abstract

Myasthenic crisis (MC) is a rare and life-threatening manifestation of myasthenia gravis (MG) and is characterized by rapidly progressing weakness of respiratory and bulbar muscles leading to immobility, severe dyspnea, respiratory insufficiency, and possible aspiration. Early recognition and prompt treatment may prevent the development of further complications and the need for intubation, invasive mechanical ventilation, and ICU admission. Its diagnosis requires a high degree of clinical suspicion, and anesthesiologists, despite being prepared to deal with and provide anesthesia care to patients with MG, may not be immediately aware of the correct diagnosis and treatment of this medical emergency, and of the red flags that should prompt more invasive measures. Due to the very low incidence and possibly high morbidity of the condition, it is important to report cases of perioperative MC to raise awareness for early diagnosis and treatment. This case also emphasizes the importance of pre-anesthetic consultation and a multidisciplinary approach with appropriate communication and referral between medical specialties as the diagnosis of MG was not disclosed to the anesthetic team. The organizational, communication and safety gaps that occurred during the perioperative period could potentially have had a negative impact on patient outcomes. We report a case of MC in a patient who underwent general anesthesia for ambulatory magnetic resonance imaging and whose diagnosis of MG was not conveyed to the anesthesia care team.

Keywords: anesthesia at remote locations; communication gap; intraoperative complication; magnetic resonance imaging; myasthenia gravis (mg); myasthenia gravis crisis; organizational gaps; patient safety; safety gaps.

Figure 1. Chest x-ray at the emergency department