Effects of esketamine on postoperative pain and inflammatory factors in children undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy.
Minerva anestesiologica January 1, 2025 Yuchang Zhu, Xujian Wang, Lifeng Wang et al. 3 citations
In children undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, adding esketamine during anesthesia reduced postoperative pain and emergence agitation without increasing side effects. Eighty children were randomly assigned to receive esketamine or a control. Pain scores (FLACC scale) were lower in the esketamine group at all measured times from 15 minutes to 24 hours after surgery (e.g., 2.4 vs. 3.4 at 15 minutes). Emergence agitation scores were also lower. Blood markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein and interleukin-6) rose less in the esketamine group. Recovery times and adverse reactions were similar between groups.