Use of combined paracetamol and low dose ketamine in pain control during change of dressings in burn patients

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of Paracetamol and low dose Ketamine in controlling burn pain during dressings. Setting: The burns ward of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, a 750 bed capacity tertiary centre in Western Kenya. Subjects: Consenting patients were recruited to the study on admission. Babies and minors had consent given by their parents or guardians. Results: Of the Fifty nine patients who were recruited into the study, seventy percent of them were children. Male to Female ratio was 1.2:1. There was statistically significant change in the pain score on both FLACC and VAS (both p<0.001) after the introduction of low dose Ketamine with Paracetamol. The patients and healthcare providers were satisfied with the new mode of pain management during change of dressings for burn wounds. Conclusion: The use of oral Paracetamol combined with the low dose intravenous Ketamine, is effective in controlling burn pains during change of dressings. It is a safe and cheap alternative, that can be applied in remote and resource limited medical facilities.