General anesthesia for adults with mitochondrial myopathy.

We report the case of a 59-year-old woman with mitochondrial myopathy who underwent elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy and hemorrhoidectomy, and we review the literature discussing general anesthesia for adults with mitochondrial myopathy. Our management technique avoids neuromuscular-blocking drugs and uses a modified awake intubation method not previously described in such patients. We hope to improve patient safety by discussing evidence-based anesthetic concerns and complications specific to these uncommon patients and aid practitioners in devising a suitable anesthetic plan.