Comparison of analgesic effects of ketamin and phentanil drugs according to VAS scores in patients with A diagnosis of isolated long bone fracture in the emergency department

Introduction: Long bone fractures are an important part of emergency visits. Alternative agents are needed for pain management in patients diagnosed with long bone fractures due to the potential side effects and addiction caused by opioids. This study aims to compare the analgesic efficacy of low dose ketamine and fentanyl in patients with an isolated long bone fracture. Method: This single-center, prospective observational study was performed at the emergency department of a university hospital. Patients who were diagnosed with an isolated long bone fracture that met the inclusion criteria and who received low dose ketamine or fentanyl for pain management were included. The baseline (0 min), 30. min. and 60. min. pain scores and observed adverse events were recorded and compared between the two groups. Results: A total of 100 patients, 52 patients in the fentanyl group, and 48 patients in the ketamine group were included in the study. There were no significant differences in analgesic efficacies or adverse events between low dose ketamine and fentanyl treatment groups. No side effects requiring medical intervention were observed in either group. Conclusion: Our results suggest that low dose ketamine and fentanyl are effective and safe analgesic treatments for patients with isolated long bone fractures. Furthermore, there are no significant differences in analgesic efficacies or adverse events between the two treatment groups. The need for future randomized controlled trials comparing the analgesic efficiency of these two treatments is essential for the enlightenment of the literature.