Ketamine Infusion for Sickle Cell Pain Crisis

The purpose of this study is to prospectively study the efficacy of low dose ketamine infusions in treating patients who are admitted to the hospital with a sickle cell pain crisis. Participants will be prospectively randomized in unblinded fashion in the first 12 to 24 hours of an inpatient admission for sickle cell pain crisis to receive pain management without ketamine infusion (Group A) versus pain management that includes low-dose ketamine infusion starting at 0.2mg/kg/h (Group B). The effect of this intervention on various pain management and healthcare utilization outcome measures will be recorded and analyzed to determine whether or not there is a measurable benefit of using ketamine infusions in this patient population.