The effect of ketamine in patients with refractory hiccup in the postoperative period. Preliminary report.

In 5 cases of refractory postoperative hiccup the authors observed a favourable effect of a single dose of ketamine administered intravenously. Earlier applied procedures and drugs failed to control hiccup or alleviated it for only a short time. In all cases the overfilling of the stomach was ruled out as a cause of hiccup by routine preliminary examination. The doses of ketamine used (0.5 mg/kg of body weight) caused no central nervous system disturbances in postoperative patients. In view of the small number of observed cases the authors regard this report as a preliminary communication and as an encouragement for further investigations on the usefulness of ketamine in the treatment of postoperative hiccup and also in treatment of hiccup in patients in other medical specialities.