Ketamine and Low-Resource Countries

Abstract

Safe anaesthesia and surgery are piloted to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with anaesthesia and surgery, and improve surgical outcomes. This goal is far-fetched in developing countries as a result of limited manpower, poor operation theatre infrastructure, unavailability of equipment, life-saving drugs, and anaesthetic agents. Postoperative pain is also widely undertreated in this environment, mostly due to financial constraints patients and their relatives face and the unavailability of analgesics. Sometimes the physicians face problems associated with their resource-limited working environment, such as unreliable electricity, unavailability of compressed oxygen and other gases, sophisticated machines, and modern drugs. Thus, easy adaptability and proper utilisation of available resources have been described as a resounding quality required of anaesthetists working in developing countries, to thrive and provide anaesthetic services. Ketamine is readily available in resource-limited environments, and adaptability to the use of this drug has made it possible for the anaesthetist to provide anaesthesia, pain care services, sedation, and save lives.