MHAUS Newsletter, MHAUS April 2010
In this issue:

Scientific Conference Registration Ends April 2

MHAUS is sponsoring a two-day scientific conference for medical professionals at Mercy Hospital at the University of Pittsburgh's Medical Center.  Deadline for registration is April 2. The deadline for poster presentation is April 9. Learn all the details here.
Back to top

 

Transfer of Care Guideline for MH Patients

MHAUS has joined forces with the Ambulatory Surgery Foundation (ASF) for the development of a "Transfer of Care Guideline" for a patient suffering an MH episode being transferred from an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) to a hospital.

The ASF is a research and educational organization dedicated to educating ASCs on a variety of topics including patient safety, as well as promoting the highest quality standards to guide the practice of medicine at ASCs.  Together, our two organizations worked to identify a panel of experts representing key medical specialties at critical points along the transfer continuum, including clinicians and administrators specializing in patient care at ASCs, anesthesia care providers, an emergency medicine physician, emergency medical technician, and of course, experts in MH.
 
Read more about the "Transfer of Care Guideline" in the spring issue of The Communicator. Look for it in your mail later this month. You can also view past issues of The Communicator on our website.
Back to top

 

Lack of Temperature Monitoring a Concern to MHAUS

MHAUS learned of a recent MH death of a healthy young man undergoing a three-hour minor surgical procedure in a hospital. The patient’s body temperature was not being monitored during anesthesia.
 
Although not a requirement of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, temperature monitoring is required by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists during general anesthesia for pediatric patients. As well, MHAUS’ Professional Advisory Council recommends intraoperative temperature monitoring during all general anesthetics and major regional anesthesia lasting for more than a brief period of time.
 
In response, MHAUS has submitted a letter with 20 signatories to the American Society of Anesthesiologists emphasizing the importance of temperature monitoring. You can read more about temperature monitoring in the President’s Blog or look for a full article in the upcoming spring issue of The Communicator.
Back to top

 

MH-Susceptibility Gene Review Submitted Online

Henry Rosenberg, MD, Nyamkhishig Sambuughin, PhD, and Robert Dirksen, PhD have written and submitted "MH-Susceptibility Gene Review" to GeneTests.  The GeneTest website is publicly funded medical genetics information resource developed for physicians, other healthcare providers, and researchers, available at no cost to all interested persons.

Back to top

 

Have You Seen MHAUS’ New Video?

Visitors to the MHAUS homepage are now greeted with a new video "Understanding Malignant Hyperthermia."  The eight-minute video also contains a brief synopsis of MHAUS' 28-year history. View the video.

Back to top

 

Vienna, Austria Hosts EMHG Annual Meeting

The European Malignant Hyperthermia Group will hold its annual meeting in Vienna, Austria, on May 20-22, 2010.  To register, please visit the EMHG Annual Meeting registration page for more information.

 

Early registration is 350 Euro and ends the last day of March 2010.  Registration after March costs 400 Euro.  The fee includes: EMHG membership fee, registration fee for the meeting, guided tour of Stephansdom on Thursday afternoon, get together at Esterhazykeller on Thursday evening, and Galadinner on Friday evening in the Hotel Wilhelminenberg.

Back to top

 

MH Mock Drill Kit Voted Most Popular Product at AORN

MHAUS’ new MH Mock Drill Kit was voted the most popular product, the Emergency Therapy for MH Poster the second most popular product, and MHAUS the fifth most popular exhibitor at the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Annual Meeting in Denver.  We are very proud of this distinction and enjoyed the opportunity to talk with visitors to the booth.

 

The MH Mock Drill Kit includes everything you need to set up a drill in your facility:

 

• Drill set-up instructions

• Drill report record

• Brief case scenarios

• FAQs

• Demonstration on mixing dantrolene

 

The MH Mock Drill Kit contains a 22-minute DVD and laminated task cards for personnel involved in an MH Code.  As a bonus, the “Guide to Malignant Hyperthermia in an Anesthesia Setting” is included to help further your educational training on MH.  

 

The MH Mock Drill Kit is available for only $150.00 and includes shipping and handling!  Order today.

Back to top

 

MHAUS Offers Daniel Massik Award

The Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States (MHAUS) is pleased to announce the availability of an award in the amount $1500 to the author of a manuscript related to malignant hyperthermia (MH). 

The Award will be given to the primary author of the best manuscript concerning, malignant hyperthermia.  The format may be a case report, literature review or original study. 

The document should address a significant issue related to the problem of malignant hyperthermia. 

Those participating must currently be a resident fellow in anesthesiology or an anesthesiologist who is within five years of ending his/her training. 

The paper must be a minimum of 3 double-spaced typed pages and a maximum of 10 pages.  Author's CV should be included. 

The paper must not be in any stage of publication. 

Deadline for receipt of the manuscript in the MHAUS office is August 3, 2010. 

The award will be presented at the annual MHAUS Recognition Reception at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists Meeting in San Diego October 2010. 

The winner will be notified by August 31, 2010 to allow for coordination of travel plans. 

For further information regarding the application process for this award, please contact the Malignant Hyperthermia Association of the United States (MHAUS), attention Gloria Artist, either via regular mail at P. O. Box 1069, Sherburne, NY 13460, via fax at 607-674-7910 or email gloria@mhaus.org.

 

Back to top