[Comparative trial of propofol and ketamine in anesthesia for the baths of severely burnt patients]. / Essai comparatif du propofol et de la kétamine au cours de l'anesthésie pour bain des grands brûlés.

Ketamine was the normal anaesthetic drug for carrying out the baths of severely burnt patients. It was compared with propofol in a study of 50 patients (greater than 50 UBS) randomly assigned to two groups: 2.5 mg . kg-1 propofol and 2 mg . kg-1 ketamine. The speed of induction was the same for both groups, surgery beginning within the same time intervals. In the propofol group, however, apnoea was seen more often and lasted longer (p less than 0.05) than in the ketamine group. The times between repeat injections were short (about 5 min) and constant with propofol, whereas they were larger and irregular with ketamine; this was due to the shorter distribution half-life and lack of accumulation of propofol. During anaesthesia with propofol, haemodynamic parameters remained steady after an initial period of cardiovascular depression. Respiratory rate increased, because of the lack of analgesia. Recovery was very quick, complete and with no bothersome adverse effects in the propofol group. These hypercatabolic patients could therefore be fed early postoperatively; also, there was no deleterious psychological interference in these deeply disturbed patients.