Lidocaine-Ketamine Versus Ketamine for Induction of Anesthesia in Septic Shock Patients

Most of the drugs used for induction of anesthesia negatively impact patient hemodynamics. Thus, induction of anesthesia in shocked patients might result in deleterious hypotension. Patients with severe sepsis and septic shock frequently need surgical interventions. The best protocol for induction of anesthesia in septic shock patients is lacking.

Ketamine is an agent used for induction of anesthesia with known positive cardiovascular effects. However, these positive effects were reported in individuals with intact sympathetic nervous system. Invitro studies showed that ketamine direct action on the cardiac muscles is negative. Thus, it had been recommended that ketamine should be used with caution in hemodynamically vulnerable patients till further randomized controlled trials are present.

Lidocaine is a drug with multiple local and systemic uses. Having local anesthetic properties, lidocaine was proposed to have an anesthetic sparing effect. Lidocaine was previously reported to enhance the hypnotic effect of thiopentone, propofol, and midazolam during induction of anesthesia. Lidocaine showed a sparing effect for volatile as well as intravenous requirements for maintenance of anesthesia; thus, we hypothesize that its use as an adjuvant during induction of anesthesia in septic shock patient could provide a sparing effect for ketamine and minimize its negative circulatory sequelae.

Inclusion criteria

• Adult patients aged above 18 years
• With septic shock
• Scheduled for general anesthesia

Exclusion criteria

• Patients under 18 years
• Burn patients