Electroencephalographic study of children during ketamine anesthesia.

EEG was recorded on nine occasions of ketamine anesthesia in eight children. Two of the patients were neurologically normal and six were under investigation for various neurological disorders. The EEG during the catatonic phase of ketamine anesthesia is characterized by alternating high amplitude delta complexes and periods of fast activity. The two cases which in the routine EEG showed focal paroxysmal activity did not show any electroencephalographic aggravation or clinical seizure during ketamine influence. One case exhibiting a subcortical type of epileptiform activity showed a marked potentiation of this activity with ketamine. On routine neurological examination during the catatonic phase of ketamine anesthesia the pharyngeal reflex was generally weak and failed altogether in two cases and corneal reflexes were absent in three cases.