Symptomatic Improvement in Irritable Bowel Syndrome With Oral Ketamine

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Pharmacology
• Neurology

Background:

• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder often managed with diet, but effective treatments for diet-refractory cases are limited.
• Persistent IBS symptoms can significantly disrupt patients' lifestyles.

Observation:

• A patient with severe, diet-refractory IBS with diarrhea experienced prolonged symptom improvement after receiving intravenous ketamine for postoperative pain.
• The patient subsequently reported sustained relief from IBS symptoms with at-home oral ketamine therapy.

Findings:

• This case presents the first reported instance of ketamine use for IBS symptom management.
• Low-dose oral ketamine, administered at home, demonstrated efficacy in alleviating refractory IBS symptoms in this patient.

Implications:

• Ketamine may represent a novel adjunct therapy for individuals with severe IBS unresponsive to conventional treatments.
• Further research is warranted to explore the potential of ketamine in managing functional bowel disorders like IBS.