Ketamine Treatment Options in North Carolina

The primary aim of the study is to demonstrate a reduction in circulating interleukin 6 levels at 4 and 24 hours after completion of lobectomy (either VATS or open). The null hypothesis (H0) is thus that there is no difference in circulating interleukin 6 levels when patients are given either ketamine or placebo (0.9% saline in equivalent volume). The alternative (two tailed) hypothesis (HA) if the null is disproved is that ketamine leads to significantly different levels of interleukin 6 at 4 and 24 hours after completion of surgery. We plan to randomize 40 patients to receive either ketamine or placebo, in a block of 4 randomization design stratified by whether surgery is performed by VATS or open lobectomy. Read Less

Intravenous sedation is used frequently for the relief of pain and anxiety associated with oral surgical procedures performed under local anesthesia. The purpose of this study is to learn about patient and surgeon satisfaction with sedation using Dexmedetomidine in combination with midazolam alone or with midazolam plus low dose ketamine while having wisdom teeth removed. The sedation produced by dexmedetomidine is unique in that it mimics natural sleep, a unique quality not shared by other drugs. Dexmedetomidine is often used in anesthesia in hospital operating rooms and has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the use planned in this study. Read Less