Esketamine combined with low-dose propofol induction strategy for category-1 cesarean section: a case series.
BMC anesthesiology May 8, 2025 Guang-Qiu Zhu, Yu Wang, Xiao-Xia Wang et al. 1 citation
A low-dose combination of esketamine and propofol for general anesthesia induction during category-1 emergency cesarean sections maintained maternal hemodynamic stability without causing neonatal depression. In a case series of 11 patients, the median 1-minute Apgar score was 9 and the 5-minute Apgar score was 10 for all newborns. The mean decision-to-delivery interval was 10.9 minutes. Only one newborn required temporary mask ventilation due to acute fetal distress from placental abruption; no newborns were admitted to the ICU. No episodes of hypotension, intraoperative awareness, reflux aspiration, or adverse psychiatric effects occurred. The strategy appears suitable, but randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings.