THE EFFECT OF INTRAVENOUS LOW DOSE KETAMINE FOR PREVENTION OF SHIVERING AFTER INGOUINAL HERNIORRHAPHY

Postanesthetic shivering can be treated with many types of drugs. Treatment with
ketamine and pethidine is effective in postoperative shivering. The aim of this study was to compare
the efficacy of low-dose prophylactic ketamine with that of placebo in preventing postoperative
shivering.
Methods: In a prospective randomized double-blind study 60 ASA I and II patients scheduled for
inguinal herrniorhaphy undergoing general anesthesia were evaluated. Patients were randomly
allocated to receive normal saline or ketamine 0.5 mg/kg intravenously 5 min before complention of
surgery. In all patients anesthesia was induced with sodium thiopental 5mg/kg, fentanly 2mg/kg and
atracurium 0.6 mg/kg. It was maintained with Isoflorane 1% and nitrous oxide 50% in oxygen. An
investigator, blinded to the treatment group, graded postoperative shivering using a four-point scale.
Results: The two groups did not differ significantly regarding patient characteristics. The number of
patients shivering on arrival in the recovery room, and at 10 and 20 min after operation is same in two
groups. But the intensity of shivering was significantly low in study group in compare with control
(p=0.07).
Conclusion: Prophylactic low-dose ketamine can reduce the intensity of postoperative shivering.
Further investigations with large sample size and other type of operations were recommended