Lesson 267: PreAnesthetic Assessment of the Patient With Duchenne's Muscular Dystrophy

Course Author:

Kasia Petelenz Rubin, MD Clinical Pediatric Anesthesia Fellow at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital; at the time of writing, Dr. Rubin was a third-year resident in anesthesiology, MetroHealth Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio

Registration Fee: $15.00
2.0 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM
available until
October 31, 2008

Please be sure to read registration information below.

 

Registration links are at the bottom of the page.

Reviewed by:

Gregory J. Gordon, MD Vice Chairperson, Department of Anesthesiology, MetroHealth Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio

Review Date: June, 2007

NEEDS STATEMENT

Anesthesiologists are frequently called on to care for patients with muscular diseases whose condition may be adversely affected by the drugs used for muscle relaxation. The identification of such patients and their appropriate management have been cited by readers and the editorial board committee of Anesthesiology News as necessary information for the practicing anesthesiologist.

     
CASE HISTORY

A 15-year-old boy with severe scoliosis was admitted for arthrodesis of the spine. The levoscoliosis of his thoracolumbar spine was 58 degrees by the method of Cobb. His medical history was significant for severe DMD associated with congestive heart failure and respiratory insufficiency. The patient’s weight was 81 kg and his height approximately 56 inches, estimated by arm span. A physical examination revealed a hypertrophic tongue and a Mallampati grade II airway. Muscle strength in his lower extremities was documented at 1 to 2 (of 5) on the Medical Research Council Scale. The patient was confined to a wheelchair but was able to brush his teeth and feed himself with difficulty.

   

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this activity, the participant should be able to:

  1. Describe the pathophysiology of Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy (DMD).

  2. Identify the differences between Becker’s muscular dystrophy and DMD.

  3. Discuss the organ systems affected by DMD.

  4. List the preoperative considerations for the anesthetic care of the patient with DMD who requires general anesthesia.

  5. Outline an appropriate preoperative evaluation.

  6. Discuss the controversy surrounding the use of inhalational anesthetics in the management of patients with DMD.

  7. Describe the effects of neuromuscular blockade.

  8. Develop an anesthetic plan.

  9. Manage postoperative anesthetic care.

Recognize the progressive nature of the disease.

TARGET AUDIENCE:  Anesthesiologists

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THIS COURSE

The estimated time to complete this activity is 2 hours. There are two options for completing this CME activity.

Option 1: Exam Only.  This option can only be exercised by subscribers to Anesthesiology News who possess a material copy of the course.  Participants who select this option must read the article in the journal, reflect on the information presented, and then register to complete the exam and course evaluation online before October 31, 2008. (CME credit is not valid past this date.)  

To register for the exam only, click on the Register For Exam link located at the bottom of this page. DO NOT select this option if you do not possess a material copy of the CME course material.

There are ten questions in the examination and you must achieve a score of 80% or better to earn CME credit.  Following successful completion, your certificate will be immediately available online.  In addition, a historical record of  completed CME courses is maintained online in an individualized profile.  This includes copies of course certificates which can be printed at any time.

Option 2: Course Material and Exam.  All participants are eligible for this option.

You must first register for this course by clicking the "Register for Course" link located at the bottom of this page.  Course material is presented in small digestible sections followed by exam questions pertaining to the information in the segment covered.  As you read through the material on the course pages, you will occasionally be prompted to answer exam questions. 

There are several short pages of information and 10 multiple choice questions presented in this course.  You must achieve a minimum grade of 80% (8 correct answers) to receive CME credit. The exam and course evaluation must be completed before October 31, 2008. (CME credit is not valid past this date.)  

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When you have answered the last exam question, the Course Results page will display. This page will contain your final grade and allow you to immediately view/print your Certificate if you have achieved the minimum passing score of 80%. 

Upon successful completion, your Certificate will be available at all times from your Student Control Panel.   In addition, a historical record of  completed CME courses is maintained online in an individualized profile.  This includes copies of course certificates which can be printed at any time.

The course does not need to be completed in a single online session. You can log off at any point and return to the course at your convenience.  If you wish to obtain more information regarding the features of this site, you may visit the Orientation page.  Click here to view Orientation.

REGISTRATION

The registration fee for this course is $15.00

Physicians are provided with two opportunities to complete the course presented here. 

Accreditation Statement

Mount Sinai School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation: The Mount Sinai School of Medicine designates each educational activity for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

It is the policy of Mount Sinai School of Medicine to ensure objectivity, balance, independence, and scientific rigor in all CME-sponsored educational activities. All faculty participating in the planning or implementation of a sponsored activity are expected to disclose to the audience any relevant financial relationships and to assist in resolving any conflict of interest that may arise from the relationship. Presenters must also make a meaningful disclosure to the audience of their discussions of unlabeled or unapproved drugs or devices.

Disclosure Statement

The author, reviewer, and editor have no relationships with pharmaceutical companies or manufacturers of products to disclose. This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents for the treatment of disease. Some uses of these agents have not been approved by the FDA. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Questions regarding course content may be directed to Dr. Elizabeth Frost: ElzFrost@aol.com.

If you require technical assistance with completing this course, please contact Continuing Education Online Customer Service at 718-648-8080 or send e-mail to CEO.support6@proceo.com.

All other requests for administrative assistance should be directed to Josephine Greene in the CME office at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine : 212-241-4441 or send email to Josephine.Greene@msnyuhealth.org

CALL FOR WRITERS

If you would like to write a CME lesson in Anesthesiology News, please send an e-mail to Elizabeth A.M. Frost, MD, at ElzFrost@aol.com

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EXAM ONLY

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This option is available for all participants. This option includes a full online text version of the course material and exam.