Ketamine is a racemic mixture composed of an equal amount of L-ketamine and D-ketamine.It has a long history of use as an anesthetic,with various effects such as relieving anxiety,reducing suicidal ideation,and treating chronic pain.However,the widespread use of ketamine is limited by adverse reactions such as dizziness,nausea,elevated blood pressure,and potential abuse.Esketamine has been a hot drug on the domestic market in recent years.As a right-handed isomer of ketamine,Esketamine has the aforementioned effects while reducing the incidence of adverse reactions and improving patient tolerance.It has broad application prospects in multiple clinical environments in the fields of psychotherapy and anesthesia.Therefore,this article provides a review of the application and pharmacological characteristics of ketamine during the perioperative period,briefly describing the pharmacological effects and possible mechanisms of ketamine,and introduces the clinical application progress of ketamine in sedation,analgesia,and anti anxiety and depression during the perioperative period.This article also explores the application prospects of ketamine in the perioperative period,in order to provide reference and guidance for the promotion and application of ketamine,and to provide new research directions.