Development of tolerance to ketamine in an infant undergoing repeated anesthesia

Abstract

Ketamine is useful for sedation of children undergoing repeated radiation treatments. The development of tolerance after multiple administrations of ketamine has been observed in animals, in children 6 months to 16 years of age, and in adults. The present report describes the development of tolerance during multiple administrations of ketamine to an 11-week-old infant undergoing radiation treatment of an orbital tumor. It is concluded however that ketamine is a safe and suitable agent for producing adequate sedation.