We plan to randomize 40 patients to receive either ketamine or placebo, in a block of 4 randomization design stratified by whether surgery is performed by VATS or open lobectomy. 40 patients (n=20 per group) will provide 90% power to detect a change in IL 6 of 20 pg/ml from a mean of 100 pg/ml at 4 hours, with two tailed alpha = 0.05. Allowing for 10-20% attrition we will enroll 50 patients to achieve this sample size. All patients presenting for lobectomy either VATS or open will be included. Patients will be screened by review of the preoperative surgical schedule posted each day and approached for consent to participate if they do not have any exclusion criteria. Patients who are randomized but do not undergo lobectomy for any reason will not be included in the analysis of the primary endpoint. Patients who are listed for VATS resection but convert to open will be included in the analysis on a per protocol basis. The randomization is stratified according to planned approach (VATS vs open), however we expect the majority of these cases to be VATS lobectomies.