title: The effect of intravenous low dose ketamine for reducing postoperative sore throat.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of intravenous low dose ketamine for reducing the incidence and severity of postoperative sore throat (POST).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial. The study population consisted of 70 patients between 20 and 70 years old who were classified as American Society of Anesthesiologists I-II and were scheduled for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The patients were divided randomly into two groups. Patients in the ketamine group received an intravenous injection of 0.5 mg/kg of ketamine just before induction, followed by 10 microg/kg/min throughout the operation. Patients in the control group received intravenous saline instead of ketamine. The patients were interviewed 1, 6, and 24 h after the operation. The incidence and severity of POST were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant differences in the incidence and severity of POST during the 24 h after the operation were found between the two groups (21/31 in the ketamine group vs. 26/34 in the control group, P = 0.398).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravenous injection of low dose ketamine was not effective for reducing POST.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Hospital, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sun Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sang Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jung Il
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Noh
authors.forename: Su Myoung
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Mun Gyu
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Si Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Ok
authors.forename: Soon Im
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Kim