Key result
Pre-hospital ketamine appears safe in trauma patients with no major airway or emergence events.
Why the study?
The safety of ketamine for analgesia and procedural sedation in prehospital trauma care required evaluation.
Is ketamine safe for analgesia and procedural sedation in prehospital trauma patients?
Observational (n=1,030)
Is ketamine safe for analgesia and procedural sedation in prehospital trauma patients?
Ketamine appears relatively safe for analgesia and procedural sedation when administered by physicians in prehospital trauma care.
May support physician use of prehospital ketamine in trauma; leaves open need for randomized confirmation.
The safe delivery of adequate analgesia and appropriate sedation is a priority in prehospital care. The use of ketamine is described for analgesia and sedation in 1030 trauma patients in a physician-led prehospital trauma service. Ketamine was mainly used in awake non-trapped patients with blunt trauma for procedural sedation and analgesia. Detailed database searches did not demonstrate loss of airway, oxygen desaturation or clinically significant emergence reactions after ketamine administration. Ketamine is relatively safe when used by physicians in prehospital trauma care.
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Bredmose et al. (2008) conducted an observational in Trauma (n=1,030). Ketamine was evaluated on Loss of airway, oxygen desaturation or clinically significant emergence reactions. Pre-hospital administration of ketamine by physicians in 1030 trauma patients was relatively safe, with no demonstrated loss of airway, oxygen desaturation, or significant emergence reactions.
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