A composite general anesthesia technique using ketamine for pediatric outpatients.

A study of 43 pediatric oral surgery patients was conducted in a clinical environment. The anesthetic regimen of a minimum dose of ketamine hydrochloride, nitrous oxide-oxygen, and a local anesthetic was tested for recovery time and degree of acceptance by parents and patients. With this regimen, the average recovery time from completion of the procedure was 30 minutes. The combination of these drugs provided a rapid, smooth induction, additional time while the ketamine-induced anesthesia was dissipating, no major complications, and good acceptance by parents and patients.