Pulse oximetry during ketamine anaesthesia in war conditions.
Ketamine anaesthesia with spontaneous breathing of air is a common method of anaesthesia in Red Cross hospitals for war wounded. Arterial oxygen saturation of 65 patients was measured with a portable pulse oximeter during the anaesthesia and the first 30 min of recovery. The patients were young (12-47 yr), haemodynamically stable and underwent peripheral surgery. Fifty-seven measurements were free from artefacts and were analyzed. The results showed that during induction six patients (11%) had a brief period (40-420 sec) of oxygen saturation under 90%. Two of these patients showed signs of upper airway obstruction and four breathed normally. During maintenance one patient had short periods (40-80 sec) of saturation under 90%, when he snored. No periods of desaturation occurred during the recovery period. It is concluded that arterial oxygen saturation remained acceptable when patients breathed air during ketamine anaesthesia.
International Committee of the Red Cross, Geneve, Switzerland.
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000771:Anesthesia, Intravenous; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010092:Oximetry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D012119:Respiration; D013997:Time Factors; D014857:Warfare; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000601:surgery*
D007649:Ketamine; D010100:Oxygen