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Effects of different doses of oral ketamine for premedication of children

S Turhanoğlu1, A Kararmaz, M A Ozyilmaz

  • 1Dicle University Hospital, Department of Anaesthesiology, Diyarbakir, Turkey. gaturhanoglu@superonline.com

European Journal of Anaesthesiology
|January 30, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Oral ketamine at 8 mg kg(-1) effectively calms children before surgery, improving anesthesia induction. While recovery is slightly longer, it remains safe for pediatric preanesthetic medication.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Anesthesiology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Effective and safe oral preanesthetic medications are needed for pediatric elective surgery.
  • Oral ketamine is a potential option for preanesthetic sedation in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the optimal oral ketamine dose for pediatric preanesthesia.
  • To evaluate ketamine's efficacy and safety in facilitating anesthesia induction in children.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
  • 80 children received oral ketamine at 4, 6, or 8 mg kg(-1) before elective surgery.
  • Evaluated patient response to separation, IV cannulation, mask application, anesthesia induction, and recovery.

Main Results:

  • Ketamine 8 mg kg(-1) significantly improved calmness and anesthesia induction comfort.
  • Longer recovery times were noted with 8 mg kg(-1) ketamine, but normalized within 2 hours.
  • No significant adverse events were reported across groups.

Conclusions:

  • Oral ketamine at 8 mg kg(-1) is an effective preanesthetic medication for inpatient children.
  • This dosage facilitates a smoother anesthesia induction process.
  • Ketamine offers a safe and effective oral premedication option for pediatric surgery.
Abstract

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