J Korean Pain Soc.  2004 Dec;17(2):248-251. 10.3344/jkps.2004.17.2.248.

Intramuscular Injection of Ketamine in the Treatment of Postburn Neuropathic Pain: A case report

• Woo CH
• Mun SH
• Lee SY
• Han TH
• Kim HS
• Kim KM

• KMID: 2104864
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3344/jkps.2004.17.2.248

Abstract

Abnormal return of cutaneous sensibility is common after burn injuries, with many patients complaining of neuropathic pain. Chronic neuropathic pain has been described in healed burns due to deficiencies in the reinnervation of the scar; abnormalities in newly regenerated nerve endings or possibly a more NMDA mediated central mechanism. Ketamine, a non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, has been used for analgesia in many cases of pain syndrome and it's routes of administration are variable. Blocking of the NMDA receptors abolishes the hypersensitivity in patients with neuropathic pain. Therefore, ketamine was tried in postburn neuropathic pain, with a similar antagonistic effect to that of a NMDA antagonist expected. A postburn neuropathic pain patient, who was successfully managed without any significant sign of side effects, using an intramuscular injection of ketamine, was experienced at our clinic.

Keyword

ketamine; NMDA; postburn neuropathic pain

MeSH Terms

Analgesia
Burns
Cicatrix
Humans
Hypersensitivity
Injections, Intramuscular*
Ketamine*
N-Methylaspartate
Nerve Endings
Neuralgia*
Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
Ketamine
N-Methylaspartate
Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate