Respiratory depression in newborn monkeys at Caesarean section following ketamine administration

Ketamine, currently being evaluated as an obstetric anaesthetic agent, is said to provide analgesia without depression of the protective airway reflexes or depression of the respiratory or cardiovascular systems. We have studied the effects of ketamine on the uterine blood flow, the foetus and the newborn in five monkeys (Macaca nemistrina). Uterine blood flow, (UBF) was measured by the steady-state infusion technique using tritiated water as the indicator. All of the variables were measured during a control period and again at 10 and 90 min after the administration of ketamine in doses of 2 mg/kg in three monkeys or 1 mg/kg in two. Maternal respiration was maintained at normal physiological levels without significant variation. The maternal mean arterial pressure (MAP), cardiac output (CO), and stroke volume (SV) did not change significantly, but heart rate (HR) did increase significantly following the injection of ketamine and remained increased for the duration of the study. UBF, a-v oxygen difference, and the oxygen consumption of the uterus and its contents remained stable throughout. During the intrauterine period the foetus did not seem to be affected by the two doses of ketamine. However, the three newborn monkeys delivered of the mothers who had reveived ketamine 2 mg/kg had profound respiratory depression. This was not seen in the two infants delivered from mothers receiving 1 mg/kg. Others have shown that neonatal depression is dose- and time-related. We conclude that ketamine should be administered to obstetric patients in small single doses or by continuous infusion in very low concentrations.