A case of cardiac arrest following ketamine administration.

Abstract

Due to its hemodynamic stability, ketamine is a commonly used anesthetic agent for sedation during small procedures in the critical care unit. We report a case of an 8-year-old girl, previously diagnosed with tetralogy of Fallot who presented for operative correction of the congenital anomaly. She underwent a successful operation and recovered smoothly. On the second postoperative day, and upon removal of a chest drain with the use of ketamine for sedation, the patient suffered cardiopulmonary arrest. After repeated cycles of resuscitation, the patient returned to spontaneous circulation.