Study shows ketamine could be beneficial for treating brain injury in children
A common anesthesia drug could be beneficial in reducing pressure inside the skull of children with traumatic brain injuries (TBI), according to a study published in Critical Care Medicine.
Ketamine, a drug that has been used for anesthesia since the 1970s, has traditionally been avoided for patients with TBI due to early studies suggesting that it could raise the pressure inside of the skull, known as intracranial pressure (ICP).
Michael Wolf, MD and his co-authors set out to reexamine the effects of ketamine on ICP in children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) with severe TBI, analyzing data from 33 patients ages 1 month to 16 years, 22 of whom received ketamine as part of a treatment protocol informed by evidence-based guidelines.
Eighteen ketamine doses were given during ICP crises in 11 patients, and an overall decrease in ICP was observed.
