Management of Post-Operative Pharyngeal Pain: Use of Ketamine and Other Agents

Yu, et al. in a systematic review and meta-analysis of approximately 32 randomized clinical trials, compared the efficacy of different available nebulized agents for the management of PFD in order to guide clinical decisions. A prospective, randomized, double-blind, experimental study that included two groups of randomized patients to compare Ketamine VS placebo in decreasing PFD after elective surgery under general anaesthesia and analysing vital signs, symptoms and pain intensity at one hour the 4 hours of the procedure on a numerical scale concluded that the use of nebulized ketamine does not represent a statistically significant advantage [29]. [...]another controlled, double-blind, prospective, randomized study conducted in India, with the participation of 100 patients between 20 and 60 years of age undergoing surgery under general anaesthesia, and with an incidence of PFD of 33%, showed that the management with ketamine nebulization significantly attenuates the incidence and severity of PFD, especially in the early postoperative period, without observable adverse effects [30]. Kheirabadi, et al, through a single-blind randomized controlled trial, studied 96 patients selected for septoplasty surgery under general anaesthesia and performed 3 groups in which gargles with 50 and 100 mg of ketamine dissolved in saline solution were administered and the third saline alone for 30 seconds to 5 minutes prior to tracheal intubation.