I agree with ADA. Sounds like your husbands doctor is totally on the ball here.

I had major back surgery in '05, a 3 level fusion. They flooded my spine with Ketamine throughout the whole surgery as well as the rest of my body. It took longer for me to wake from surgery but I had NO medical problems due to using Ketamine the way they did. Due to that I woke up in ICU, but as soon as I awoke I was transferred to regular post op ward for neurological issues. If they had not used Ketamine I would have woke up in the usual time frame & not been in ICU. But due to the Ketamine useage, I had NO spread of my RSD. And I thank my team for that. The surgeon & anesthesiologist both talked with my Pain Management doctor before & throughout the whole surgery they stayed in contact also.

I had no breathing issues nor any heart issues. Oh, I did loose having high blood pressure due to surgery & possible ketamine useage?? Not sure why, but my BP was so low after surgery & on the Neuro ward, that 2 days after surgery they would not give me any pain meds.....can you imagine?? I had my hubby bring me meds from home & I took them & my BP stablized completely. But no more high blood pressure meds since then. I went to a heart doctor afterwards to get checked out & all was A-ok.

This had never been done anywhere in Sacramento before, using Ketamine throughout surgery on an RSD patient. I am the one who brought it up to my Pain Management doctor before surgery to use Ketamine during my surgery. My PM doc is as agressive as I want to be. My problem right now is I am on Medicare & Medical for insurance. They are much more difficult to work with. With my back surgery I had a MediGap policy so Medicare was easier to work with & whatever they didn't pay for the MG policy did with no questions asked basically. I had that thru AARP. I didn't think to have blocks before surgery, but what was done was sufficient for me.

Good luck for husband.

DebbyV