UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: Ketamine and RSI for pts p TBI

Category: Pediatrics

Keywords: Ketamine, RSI, TBI (PubMed Search)

Posted: 1/18/2008 by Sean Fox, MD (Updated: 11/22/2024)
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Ketamine and RSI for pts p TBI

Traditionally, Ketamine has been avoided for patients with traumatic brain injury; however, this may be unwarranted…
- Early after TBI, ICP is not usually elevated.
- Early after TBI there is a low blood flow state, and Ketamine can increase cerebral blood flow.
- As long as there is no obstruction to CSF flow, Ketamine will not increase ICP.
Evidence now states that Ketamine can be neuroprotective because it blocks glutamine because of it NMDA antagonist properties.
Ketamine also has antiepileptic properties (which improve pediatric TBI outcomes).

End result, if a patient has TBI and there is no concern for obstruction to CSF drainage, then Ketamine can be a possible option for RSI.