Rectal ketamine versus intranasal ketamine as premedicant in children

The effects of ketamine administered per nasus (PN) or per rectum (PR) as pre-anesthetic medication for day surgery was studied in 70 ASA class I children with age ranging from 6 months to 6 years. Before study they were divided into 3 groups. Group A (n = 25) received no premedicant, while group B (n = 25) and group C (n = 20) received ketamine 6 mg/kg PR and 3 mg/kg PN as premedicant respectively. It was demonstrated that patients in group B and group C accepted the facemask during induction of anesthesia more willingly and peacefully than those in group A. In group B and group C there was accompaniment of analgesic effect seen postoperatively. The incidence of adverse reactions (nausea, vomiting, laryngospasm, salivation, respiratory depression) was low following the use of PR or PN ketamine although the children in these two groups emerged more belatedly from anesthesia and stayed in the post-anesthetic recovery room (PARR) for a longer time than in group A.