Ketamine Induced Anesthesia in Hemorrhagic Shock and Increased Intracranial Pressure

In a considerable number of cases, many polytraumatized patients in a state of hemorrhagic shock, who require immediate surgical treatment, there is craniocerebral trauma. Ketamine is viewed, on one hand, as an appropriate induction anesthetic, due to its circulatory stimulating effect in treating shock victims, and, on the other hand, it is rejected for treating patients with craniocerebral injuries, because of the danger of possible increase in intracranial pressure (ICP). Therefore, we examined the effects of ketamine on ICP and calculated the cerebral perfusion pressure, using test animals in a state of hemorrhagic shock and a space occupying intracranial process.