History of MH

MH as a condition was first reported in 1960, when a young man in Australia needed surgery following a road traffic accident. He did not want doctors to give him a general anaesthetic because other family members had died under general anaesthesia. He was advised that a general anaesthetic was necessary and doctors proceeded cautiously. It soon became apparent that things were not right. His breathing became rapid, his heart rate increased and he was noticeably very hot. The anaesthetist did not know the cause of this reaction but acted quickly to cool the patient and discontinue the anaesthetic. Further investigations of the family history showed that 10 members of the family had died under general anaesthesia. This first report illustrated malignant hyperthermia to be an hereditary condition.

The first case of MH in Leeds was confirmed in 1970 by Professor Richard Ellis at the University of Leeds. Professor Ellis had been researching the effects of anaesthetics on rat muscle when he was asked to investigate a family from South Yorkshire, whom doctors believed were susceptible to the condition MH. One of the family members allowed surgeons to take a thin strip of muscle from his leg, which Professor Ellis then tested and proved that halothane, a common anaesthetic drug, did cause an abnormal reaction to the muscle.

Following a presentation of papers on the case, patients were referred to Leeds from all over the UK, which heralded the start of the MH Investigation Unit, now the largest of its kind in the World.

Since these early cases, we have learnt much about Malignant Hyperthermia and how it can be treated. Research into the condition has also become more advanced and there is now thought to be a link with Exertional Heat Illness.

Watch our video and hear patient, Jean Burton, and Professor Richard Ellis talk about the first-ever test for MH at Leeds.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ACv1nSkla0