Forty‐seven children with congenital heart disease received ketamine 3 mg kg−1intramuscularly as a pre‐induction agent. During the 10 min observation period following ketamine administration no adverse cardiovascular or respiratory side‐effects were seen. Arterial oxygen saturation as measured by pulse oximetry remained constant in all patients. In the group of children with cyanotic heart disease, there was a trend towards improvement of oxygen saturation which became significant 10 min after ketamine administration. We conclude that ketamine is a useful pre‐induction agent when used in the appropriate d