The effect of ketamine in patients with refractory hiccup in the postoperative period. Preliminary report.

In 5 cases of refractory postoperative hiccup the authors observed a favourable effect of a single dose of ketamine administered intravenously. Earlier applied procedures and drugs failed to control hiccup or alleviated it for only a short time. In all cases the overfilling of the stomach was ruled out as a cause of hiccup by routine preliminary examination.