Evaluation of the effect of ketamine as oral premedication on quality of pediatric anesthesia

Strange and unfamiliar setting of the operation room and also fear of operation cause numerous problems for the patient, parents of the patient and anesthesiologist. Prescription of intravenous sedatives or opiates in addition to their side effects leads to more fear and anxiety because of venipuncture. To prevent these problems, we prescribed oral sedatives. In this controlled double blind clinical trial, sixty children, aged 1-7 year were divided randomly into two groups; group 1 received oral Ketamine but placebo was prescribed for group 2. Behavioral changes together with heart rate and respiratory rate alternations were evaluated before and 30 minutes after prescription of the medication. The results of this study showed that the children who received oral ketamin were calmer and separated from their parents easier in comparison to those who received placebo, which showed a significant statistical difference (p<0.001). Also heart and respiratory rates decreased in the patients of ketamine group which revealed a significant difference (p<0.01). It seems that prescription of oral ketamine as a premedication thirty minutes before anesthesia can produce appropriate sedation and a relative decrease in heart and respiratory rates in children, which in turn can lead to less panic, easier separation of children from their parents and facilitation of induction of anesthesia.