[Propofol and ketamine for dressing in burnt patients].

General anaesthesia is often required for burns dressing. Ketamine was the most common agent for carrying out removal of adherent dressings. Disadvantages are delirium on emergence from anaesthesia and prolonged recovery. We have studied an intravenous combination of propofol and ketamine in 29 burned patients for 39 dressings. After induction with 1 mg.kg-1 of propofol and 0.75 mg.kg-1 of ketamine, the maintenance rate was 2.5 mg.kg-1.h-1 of each agent. Satisfactory intraoperative conditions were obtained in all cases. Mean time of recovery was less than 15 min. Unpleasant dreaming occurred in 3 patients only, without agitation. The technique proved to be simple, effective and should revive interest for ketamine in the management of burned patients.