Ketamine drips post op for chronic pain pts

Thanks for your replies! Just a little more info--Racing, all our patients on Ketamine do have a narcotic infusion as well--usually a high-dose PCA dilaudid, sometimes with a continuous infusion. Organic, I'd be interested in reading that article in CHEST. In my experience, the side-effects w/ Ketamine are worse than w/ only narcotics because of the hallucinations/psychosis. Some docs and nurses like it since it tends to keep the BP from bottoming out--a valid benefit since a lot of these patients are on so much IV narcotic already. These patients also tend to stay a little longer since their pain is generally more of an issue, and they have a harder time getting moving. I'm sure their state of mind on Ketamine doesn't help w/ their physical therapy progress
At the same time, I have started patients who are having intractable surgical pain on Ketamine who experienced relief. But I find that in general, the brain effects of the drug make it's value questionable.