Evaluation of blood loss during suction termination of pregnancy: ketamine compared with methohexitone

Abstract

Blood loss during suction termination of pregnancy was estimated in patients anaesthetised with intravenous ketamine (n = 25) and compared with those anaesthetised with intravenous methohexitone (n = 25). Both groups received midazolam 0.15 mg/kg intravenously 3 min prior to induction of anaesthesia. No statistically significant difference was found in blood loss between the two groups (P = 0.66). There was no incidence of dreaming or psychomotor disturbances with ketamine in our study.

PIP: This study compared blood loss associated with suction termination of 1st-trimester pregnancy in 25 women anesthetized with intravenous ketamine and 25 women who received methohexitone anesthesia. Both groups were given 0.15 mg/kg of midazolam intravenously 3 minutes before anesthesia induction. There was no significant difference in blood loss between the 2 groups. The mean blood loss was 85.7 ml in the methohexitone group and 79.5 ml in the ketamine group. The unpleasant dreams, delirium, and psychomotor disturbances previously reported to be associated with use of ketamine were not observed in this study, presumably because of the administration of midazolam. However, 12 of the women in the ketamine group experienced postoperative nausea and 6 of them vomited, compared with only 1 in the methohexitone group. Although there was no correlation between anesthesia and blood loss, blood loss was significantly greater with increasing gestational age. It is concluded that ketamine does not offer any advantage over methoheitone in terms of blood loss during suction abortion. If ketamine is to be used for this procedure, routine use of an antiemetic should be considered to counteract the high incidence of nausea and vomiting.