s-ketamine infusion
S-Ketamine Infusion
Your doctor has discussed the treatment of your pain using an S-Ketamine infusion with you. This brochure provides you with information on the drug and the treatment.
WHAT IS A S-KETAMINE?
S-Ketamine (also called Esketamine or Ketanest) is a drug that has a strong effect on specific pain receptors in nerves, the spinal cord, and the brain. Treatment with S-Ketamine can be useful for the following complaints:
- Certain types of nerve pain;
- A general overstimulation or “sensitization” of the nervous system;
- Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.
WHEN SHOULD YOU AVOID USING S-KETAMINE?
- In certain psychiatric illnesses or conditions, such as psychoses or hallucinations;
- In certain cardiovascular conditions such as high blood pressure or chest pain;
- With increased intraocular pressure;
- With increased brain pressure;
- During pregnancy.
Please discuss with your doctor if you believe any of the above applies to you.
Preparation
- If you are pregnant or think you may be, the treatment cannot take place;
- You are typically allowed to eat, drink and take your other medication as usual unless your treating doctor prescribes otherwise;
- You may remain clothed during the treatment but please ensure that you are not wearing nail polish;
- The treatment almost always takes place as an Outpatient (Day Care) procedure that lasts approximately six hours. Do keep in mind that after the procedure you are NOT allowed to drive home yourself because of the side effects of the drug.
- Listening to music with headphones during the procedure can be calming. If you wish to do so, please bring the necessary equipment with you.
- If you have a fever on the day of treatment, unfortunately, the treatment cannot proceed as scheduled on that day. Please contact the Outpatient Department using the contact information on the back of this brochure as soon as possible!
TREATMENT
The treatment takes place in the Medical/Surgical ward of the hospital. During the treatment, you are connected to equipment with which we measure your heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen level in the blood during the entire treatment.
You will be given an IV, usually on your hand. The S-Ketamine is continuously administered via this infusion using a pump. The dosage of the drug is gradually increased during the course of treatment. The nurse will visit you regularly and will ask you about side effects. You will also be asked to rate the pain at that moment (on a scale from 0 to 10; 0 being no pain, and 10 being the worst pain imaginable).
The final dose of S-Ketamine is different for each patient. We stop the infusion if you find the side effects no longer acceptable or after a certain maximum setting of the pump. After stopping the infusion, the side effects of the drug disappear fairly quickly. When you feel completely clear again and all vital signs are good, you can go home.
When you go home, you will receive a check-up appointment with your treating Anesthesiologist/Pain Management Specialist at the outpatient clinic to assess the effect.
Reduction of pain can occur immediately or after a few days and the duration of the effect is very variable and can last for weeks to months.
Unfortunately, the drug does not work equally well with every patient so it is difficult to predict in advance who will benefit from S-Ketamine and who will not.
SIDE EFFECTS
Very diverse side effects can occur during treatment with S-Ketamine. Examples of this are:
- Elevated blood pressure;
- Increased heart rate;
- Slurred speech;
- Balance disorders/dizziness / a “drunk” feeling;
- Hearing or vision changes (such as blurred vision);
- Anxious feelings/confusion;
- Mental disorders (hallucinations, seeing or hearing “weird” things).
Don't be put off by these side effects; the severity of the side effects is mainly determined by the dose of the drug and that is why we increase the dose very gradually so that we can closely monitor the occurrence of side effects and stop the administration if necessary. After stopping the infusion, the side effects quickly diminish.
QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions or if you would like more information, please contact the Outpatient Department using the information at the back of this brochure.