Clinical outcomes of ketamine in patients with traumatic brain injury: A systematic review.
International journal of critical illness and injury science January 1, 2024 Mohammad Sameer, Duaa Al Abbas 1 citation
A systematic review of 21 studies involving 886 patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) found inconsistent effects of ketamine-induced anesthesia on key brain measures. Some studies showed a significant decrease in intracranial pressure (ICP) with ketamine sedation, while others showed a significant increase. Several studies found no link between ketamine dose and ICP changes. Cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) increased significantly in some studies but decreased in one study using ketamine-midazolam; most studies found no effect. Other measures like brain electrical activity, neurologic outcomes, and side effects also varied. The review concludes that ketamine anesthesia inconsistently improves or worsens TBI outcomes and calls for research into the factors behind these mixed results.