Ketamine subcutaneous continuous infusion for non-cancer neuropathic pain at home: a case report.

Objective: Ketamine is a drug that can effectively treat neuropathic pain by blocking the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor. It has been studied as a supplement to opioids for cancer pain, but its effectiveness for non-cancer pain is still limited. However, despite its usefulness in managing refractory pain, ketamine is not commonly used for home-based palliative care.

Methods: A case report of a patient with severe central neuropathic pain who was treated with a subcutaneous continuous infusion of morphine and ketamine at home.

Results: The introduction of ketamine in the patient's treatment plan effectively controlled pain. Only one possible ketamine side effect was observed and easily treated with pharmacological and non-pharmacological measures.

Conclusions: We have found success in using subcutaneous continuous infusion of morphine and ketamine to alleviate severe neuropathic pain in a home setting. We also observed a positive impact on the patient's family members' personal, emotional and relational well-being after ketamine was introduced.