Ketamine for bone marrow aspiration and trephine biopsy in children.

To make bone marrow aspiration and trephine biopsy less painful and more acceptable in children a short acting anaesthetic ketamine was used in a dose of 1-2 mg/kg body weight intravenously or 4-5 mg/kg intramuscularly. One hundred cases aged 2 to 13 years were studied. The actual procedure time ranged between 20 seconds and 3 minutes, adequate samples were obtained in 80% of children on first attempt. Vomiting was the only side effect noted in two children. Ketamine is safe and recommended in all children undergoing bone marrow aspiration and trephine biopsies.