Ketamine Gargle for Pain After Pediatric Tonsillectomy

Post-tonsillectomy pain in children is a common and clinically significant problem that may lead to poor oral intake, dehydration, and delayed recovery. This study evaluates whether a simple preoperative intervention-gargling with ketamine-can reduce postoperative pain and improve recovery after pediatric adenotonsillectomy. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 420 children aged 4 to 12 years undergoing elective adenotonsillectomy were assigned to receive either a ketamine gargle (40 mg in saline) or a saline placebo prior to anesthesia induction. Pain intensity was measured using the Visual Analog Scale at multiple time points within the first 24 hours after surgery. Secondary outcomes included postoperative bleeding requiring reintervention, analgesic consumption, and adverse events. The study aims to determine whether topical ketamine provides effective and safe analgesia as part of an opioid-sparing strategy in pediatric airway surgery.

NCT Number	NCT07558044
Lead Sponsor	Hospital Universitario de Caracas
Conditions	Postoperative Pain, Tonsillectomy, Adenotonsillectomy
Enrollment	420 participants
Start Date	2024-01-10
Primary Completion	2025-01-07 (estimated)
Study Completion	2025-01-14 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-05-05