Objective:To observe the effect of a sub-anesthetic dose of ketamine on agitation during emergence from general anesthesia in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung resection under low-opioid anesthesia.Methods:Total of 84 patients scheduled for thoracoscopic lung resection were randomly divided into K group and C group,with 42 patients in each group.Both groups received paravertebral and erector spinae nerve block before general anesthesia.In the K group,ketamine 0.5 mg/kg was administered intravenously after anesthesia induction,followed by a continuous infusion at 4 ug/kg·min-1 until 30 minutes before the end of surgery,while the C group received an equal volume of normal saline using the same method.Postoperative agitation scores,Ramsay sedation scores,hemodynamic parameters,and the incidence of adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.Results:Compared to the C group,patients in the K group had lower agitation scores at emergence and extubation(P<0.05),smaller blood pressure changes relative to baseline(P<0.05),and reduced intraoperative propofol and remifentanil consumption(P<0.05).There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of surgical time,anesthesia time,and extubation time(P>0.05).The incidence of adverse reactions within 48 hours postoperatively did not differ significantly between the two groups(P>0.05).Conclusion:Sub-anesthetic dose of ketamine can reduce emergence agitation in patients undergoing thoracoscopic pulmonary lobectomy under general anesthesia without opioids,with no significant occurrence of adverse reactions.