Clinical application and research progress of esketamine in pediatric limb fractures

Esketamine, a novel N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, has demonstrated notable advantages in the perioperative management of pediatric limb fracture surgery. Its rapid onset, strong analgesic effect, significant antidepressant properties, and relatively low incidence of adverse reactions contribute to favorable clinical outcomes for preoperative sedation, intraoperative anesthesia, and postoperative analgesia. With deeper understanding of esketamines mechanisms of action and optimized clinical use in the future, it is expected to become an important tool in pediatric perioperative management, offering children safer and more effective anesthesia and pain-control solutions.