title: Comparison of ketamine versus combination of ketamine and medetomidine in injectable anesthetic protocols: chemical immobilization in macaques and tissue reaction in rats.
abstract: This study compared balanced anesthesia between ketamine alone and ketamine with medetomidine and assessed the repeated intramuscular use of ketamine and its potential for tissue damage. The combination of ketamine and medetomidine was tested in newly arrived macaques undergoing a period of quarantine in an animal facility. Results indicated that the medetomidine and ketamine combination induced a deeper, more level plane of anesthesia of longer duration than did ketamine alone. Furthermore, use of the medetomidine-reversing agent, atipamezole, permitted more rapid recovery. In addition, a preliminary study in adult rats was undertaken to assess tissue damage induced by intramuscular injection of ketamine versus the combination of ketamine and medetomidine. Histological evaluation of tissue inflammation and muscle necrosis in rats indicated that the lower dose of ketamine afforded by combination with medetomidine caused markedly less damage to muscle tissue at injection sites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Animal Resources, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Boulevard, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
authors.forename: Francis J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Douglas E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Pinson
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000758:Anesthesia / Q000662:veterinary*; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D007103:Immobilization; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000009:adverse effects; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D020926:Medetomidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D000778:Anesthetics, Dissociative; D007093:Imidazoles; C050701:atipamezole; D007649:Ketamine; D020926:Medetomidine