Cholestasis and biliary dilatation associated with chronic ketamine abuse: a case series.

Abstract

Ketamine is a dissociative anaesthetic agent that is still widely used in veterinary and human medicine. It is increasingly being used as a recreational hallucinogenic drug. Chronic ketamine abuse is known to account for lower urinary tract symptoms and urinary bladder dysfunction. There is now emerging evidence that ketamine misuse is also associated with abnormal liver function tests and biliary tract abnormality. We report three cases of chronic ketamine misuse in three young men who all presented with obstructive jaundice and biliary tract abnormality. We also describe the clinical features, radiological findings and potential underlying mechanisms for this new entity.

• Authors: R S C Lo, R Krishnamoorthy, J G Freeman, A S Austin
• Journal: Singapore medical journal (Singapore Med J) Vol. 52 Issue 3 Pg. e52-5 (Mar 2011) ISSN: 0037-5675 [Print] India
• PMID: 21451916 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anesthetics, Dissociative
• Ketamine

Topics

• Adult
• Anesthetics, Dissociative (pharmacology)
• Biliary Tract (abnormalities)
• Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde (methods)
• Cholestasis (drug therapy, etiology)
• Dilatation, Pathologic (drug therapy)
• Dyskinesias (etiology)
• Humans
• Jaundice, Obstructive (therapy)
• Ketamine (pharmacology)
• Male
• Radiography, Abdominal (methods)
• Substance-Related Disorders
• Urinary Tract (drug effects)
• Urologic Diseases (chemically induced, pathology)