Understanding the Treatment -
Accelerated Neuroregulation of Opiate Dependency
Background
In the last decade Rapid Opiate Detoxification is being attempted by many different physicians and institutions throughout the United States and Europe. Some of these attempts were described in several scientific and medical publications.Dr. Andre Waismann founded his Institute in Tel-Aviv. New steps were achieved in bringing to reality the aspirations of doctors and patients throughout the world.
Since then, thousands of opiate dependent patients were freed from their disease and effectively relived of their craving.
As of January 1998 in Dr. Waismann's Institute in Tel Aviv, over four thousand patients (from six to sixty two years of age) have successfully undergone the procedure, among them pure heroin users, methadone, codeine or morphine users, even cases with secondary diseases (such as AIDS). With over four years of follow-up our center in Israel under the medical direction of Dr. Waismann became a reference point for doctors throughout the global medical community. With that we do understand that it will take sometime until our work and experience will be properly learned by others, but we do positively believe that the new era in combating opiate dependency is already a reality where patients can be treated in an effective, safe and humane way.
Apart from treating patients from all over the world we encourage the scientific community and any governmental agency to come, learn and join efforts to make the treatment available as part of the several basic public health treatments offered in the different countries; this could change drastically the "almost" ridiculous situation where for so many years not much was achieved by the scientific community on this field, while in so many others, medicine, has embraced advanced technology resulting in huge achievements.
The Rational
The procedure we provide requires one to two days of hospitalization including a four hours procedure in an intensive care unit (ICU).
"Detoxification", (we would prefer to call it neuroregulation), programs require a minimum of 10 days and up to several weeks to complete neuroregulation, and usually imply substantial discomfort to patients during withdrawal. This typically results in an extremely high drop-out rate, as high as 30 to 50 percent for in patient procedures and 70% in out patient clinics.
Our approach is critically different. OD is a central nervous system disorder caused by continuous opiate intake. As a result, a physical dependency state occurs. This is represented at the symptom level by what is traditionally conceptualized in terms of withdrawal syndrome that is experienced in the absence of continuous opiate intake.
In order to achieve an opiate free state without withdrawal syndrome for OD individuals, we use an active technique for neuro-regulation, in place of a passive one. Instead of using a classical model for OD, we treat it at the receptor level rather than just the symptom level. This results in an effective new adaptation of the previous affected systems that were compromised by the continuous opiate intake at the same time we block opioide receptors continuity to social and psychological rehabilitaion.
The Process
Patients are hospitalized for a full 24 to 36 hours treatment protocol. Utilizing non surgical anesthesia during the procedure enabled patients to undergo the treatment without conscious suffering. The patient spends the remaining time in the hospital under supervision and is usually discharged in the following morning.
The patients embark on an out-patient Naltrexone, non-addictive, non mood affection substance regime within 24 hours of completion of the process. We emphasize counselling when it is necessary.
Results
The present procedure should also be viewed in contrast to the traditional "detoxification" procedures in which a long and costly in-patient hospitalization is required. Also, one should take into account the drop out rate of these procedures - 30% to 50% for in-patient procedures and 70% for out-patient clinics.
The process allowes patients to return to their occupations within a few days following the treatment.
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