BACKGROUND Dexmedetomidine, an α2 agonist is an approved drug for sedation and co-analgesia, but may cause hypotension and bradycardia. Ketamine, which provides profound analgesia and dissociative anaesthesia when used with dexmedetomidine may counteract the adverse haemodynamic effects as both have opposing actions on the cardiovascular system apart from providing satisfactory sedation and analgesia during minor surgical procedures. OBJECTIVE To study the sedoanalgesic efficacy and

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... changes of dexmedetomidine infusion along with subanaesthetic dose of ketamine for minor surgical procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS After Institutional Ethical Committee approval and informed patient consent, 30 ASA physical status I and II patients of age between 20-50 years planned for split skin grafting were selected and included in the study, which was done over a period of four months. The patients were given continuous infusion of loading dose of dexmedetomidine of 1 µg/kg over 10 minutes. Ketamine 0.8 mg/kg IV was given one minute before the start of the procedure and subsequently maintained with dexmedetomidine infusion @ 0.5 µg/kg/hr. Pain and sedation score, haemodynamic changes, requirement of additional dose of ketamine, and occurrence of emergence delirium were observed. RESULTS The sedation level during the procedure and the pain score in the immediate postoperative period were satisfactory. 28 patients did not have any discomfort whereas 2 patients required additional 0.8 mg/kg of IV ketamine. Hypotension occurred in 3 patients and bradycardia in 2 patients. There was nausea in 2 patients whereas emergence delirium or respiratory depression was not seen in any of the patients. CONCLUSION Dexmedetomidine infusion with subanaesthetic dose of ketamine can be used satisfactorily for minor surgical procedures.