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was observed. Perioperatively oxygen saturation was persistently high and mean arterial pressure was steady, too. An additional Ketamine administration caused a short tachycardia during operation. After restoration of total mobility, respiratory and heart rate stayed within the reference ranges again. All EMG values in between those caused by pain stimuli were significantly below the borderline of a muscle activity in conformity with a clinically visible complete muscle relaxation. Cortisol increased simultaneously with Ketamine and Azaperone before operation, but it remained at this level until the end of the determinations, parallel to the course of Norketamine, close to the maximum before anesthesia. The complex intensive-medical monitoring confirms that under real surgical conditions the counter-regulatory effects of both drugs equalize the respective cardiovascular and respiratory side effects. It is concluded also that the increase of cortisol is likely to be more a side effect of Ketamine/Norketamine than the expression of distress by surgical interventions or by wake-up reactions, and that an intoxication by additional Ketamine dosage or motoric disorders (i.e., catalepsis) can be excluded as undesired side effects of both drugs.