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Successful treatment of postherpetic neuralgia with oral ketamine
V Hoffmann1, H Coppejans, M Vercauteren
1Department of Anesthesia, University Hospital of Antwerpen, Edegem, Belgium.
The Clinical Journal of Pain
|September 1, 1994
Abstract
Objective:
To demonstrate the possibilities of the use of oral ketamine in the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia.
Setting:
A pain clinic in a university hospital.
Patient:
A patient with postherpetic neuralgia of the ophthalmic nerve.
Intervention:
Subcutaneous and later oral ketamine after classical treatment had failed.
Results:
A complete recovery was accomplished without any sign of side effects.
Conclusions:
Oral ketamine may provide an alternative in the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia. The possible mechanism of action by its N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) blocking properties is discussed.