Abstract: Objective To investigate the protective effect of low-dose ketamine against intestinal ischemia reperfusion injury
following pneumoperitoneum with carbon dioxide in rats. Methods Thirty healthy male adult SD rats (body weight 280-320 g)
were randomized into sham-operated group, model group and ketamine group and subjected to pneumoperitoneum for 120
min with carbon dioxide (not in sham-operated group). The rats in ketamine group received an intraperitoneal injection of 10
mg/kg ketamine 10 min before pneumoperitoneum, and those in the other two groups received saline injection. Fifteen
minutes after pneumoperitoneum or sham operation, the small intestines were sampled to detect the content of
malondialdehyde (MDA) and fore pathological testing. ELISA was used to detect the serum levels of I-FABP, TNF-a IL-6 and
IL-8. Results Pneumoperitoneum caused a significant increase in intestinal MDA content (P<0.05), which was lowered by
ketamine pretreatment (P<0.05). Serum I-FABP, TNF-a, IL-6 and IL-8 levels all significantly increased following
pneumoperitoneum (P<0.05) and were obviously lowered by ketamine pretreatment (P<0. 05). Pneumoperitoneum also caused
obvious pathologies in intestinal mucosa, which were ameliorated by ketamine pretreatment. Conclusion Low-dose ketamine
preconditioning can reduce the inflammatory reaction and lessen oxidative damage in the intestinal mucosa following
pneumoperitoneum in rats.