The problem with ketamine is that it is a useless drug in standard operating theatre anaesthetic practice. Unfortunately,
because it does put people soundly to sleep if you give enough of it, it is considered an anaesthetic. Most anaesthetics
have terrible problems with loss of airway. Ketamine doesn't (it's about 0.03% or something silly) so you don't need mega
airway skills with it. However, because ketamine is not used by anaesthetists (see sentence above) they don't have much
experience with it so they are scared of it. Therefore, being a naturally cautious lot (probably why I gave up anaesthesia)
they don't want to be seen to be endorsing something of which they are scared. So you end up with a silly circular
argument which stops a superb drug being used. I agree with Simon; it is an emergency drug and we should be the ones
ensuring others are safe to use it.
Best wishes,
Rowley Cottingham
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http://www.emergencyunit.com
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