Ketamine has been extensively studied and has become increasingly popular over the past several years for emergency department sedation in children.

Common procedures for which ketamine can be used include burn debridement, foreign body removal, fracture reduction, incision and drainage of an abscess, and laceration repair. Ketamine provides reliable and consistent sedation, analgesia, and amnesia, coupled with an excellent safety profile. Ketamine's rapid onset, combined with a relatively short duration, make it ideal for children requiring sedation for brief procedures. Significant side effects, such as laryngospasm and emergence reactions, are uncommon. Overall, compared with many of the available alternatives, ketamine is frequently an excellent choice for children in the emergency department who require sedation for painful procedures.