Palliative care 2016

More & better treatment…?

(different from “anesthesia”) is defined as a state of minimal / absent pain perception in the face of a potent neuropathic or nociceptive pain stimulus without intentional alteration in awareness. “total analgesia” for refractory pain

Therapeutic goal = pain relief

-not sedation, amnesia or unconsciousness.

è ketamine given in subanesthetic doses

Fine PG. Low-dose ketamine in the management of opioid non responsive terminal cancer pain. J Pain and Symptom Manage 1999; 17: 296 –300.