The Most Dangerous Sedative in OMS Sedation (with Dr. Steve Yun, M.D, Anesthesiologist)

What leads skilled doctors to make dangerous mistakes in OMS sedation, and what can we do to work towards putting a stop to it? In this episode, Dr. Steve Yun, a board-certified M.D. and dental anesthesiologist from Southern California, sheds light on the most high-risk sedative used in oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS). If you want to better understand the risks, challenges, and how to improve safety in sedation practices, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. As they delve into the conversation, you’ll hear three real-life examples of OMS sedation cases gone wrong, including the tragic story of six-year-old Caleb Sears. Dr. Yun unpacks the research on ketamine, the fine print found on every manufacturer’s box, and what’s really happening when it’s used as a rescue sedative. They also discuss the safest places for the sedation provider to be during any procedure, how Caleb’s Law has reshaped sedation and anesthesia practices in California, and Dr. Yun shares details of the upcoming Snow & Sedation Conference in 2026. For all this and more, start listening now!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Background, training, and current practice setup for Dr. Steve Yun.
• We dive into a discussion on the most dangerous sedatives in OMS sedation.
• Dr. Yun shares the first real-life practical example of an OMS sedation case.
• Case number two of a real-life OMS sedation case: losing the airway.
• The last example: the case of Caleb Sears, the death of a six-year-old boy.
• The most dangerous sedative in OMS sedation: Ketamine.
• Rethinking the effects of ketamine. 
• Dr. Yun shares some research regarding the use and effects of ketamine.
• We look at the drug manufacturer's instructions on a box of ketamine: the small print.
• What’s happening when you use ketamine as a rescue sedative.
• Dr. Yun shares his tennis analogy: the safest places for you to be during sedation. 
• How Caleb’s Law affects the practice of OMS sedation and anesthesia in California.
• Last words from Dr. Yun: Snow & Sedation Conference.
• Rapid-fire answers from Dr. Steve Yun.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Dr. Steve Yun, M.D. — https://www.dentalanesthesiamd.com/ 

Dr. Steve Yun, M.D. Email — [e-mail] 

Premier Sedation — http://www.premiersedation.com 

Dental Board of California — https://www.dbc.ca.gov/ 

Snow & Sedation Conference 2026 — https://snowandsedation.com/ 

‘The effect of low-dose ketamine on fentanyl-induced respiratory depression’ — https://associationofanaesthetists-publications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1046/j.1365-2044.1998.00519.x 

‘Association of ketamine use during procedural sedation with oxygen desaturation and healthcare utilisation: a multicentre retrospective hospital registry study’ — https://www.bjanaesthesia.org/article/S0007-0912(24)00204-6/abstract 

‘Rethinking ketamine as a panacea: adverse effects on oxygenation and postoperative outcomes’ — https://www.bjanaesthesia.org/article/S0007-0912(23)00747-X/pdf  

UCLA Dentistry — https://dentistry.ucla.edu/ 

Caleb’s Law — http://www.calebslaw.org/ 

James —