Anesthesia-Assisted vs Buprenorphine- or Clonidine-Assisted Heroin Detoxification and Naltrexone Induction

Research on Ultra-rapid (anesthesia-assisted) vs. Rapid (buprenorphine or clonidine assisted) Detox for Heroin (full text) Eric D. Collins, Herbert D. Kleber, Robert A. Whittington, Nicole E. Heitler, JAMA, 294:903-913, 2005.

“[Withdrawal] severities were comparable… [no differences] in rates of completion [or] retention [or urine tox]… The anesthesia procedure was associated with 3 potentially life-threatening adverse events. Conclusion: These data do not support the use of general anesthesia for heroin detoxification and rapid opioid antagonist induction.“

See also:

What is Ultra-Rapid Opiate detox (UROD) and how is it different from Rapid Opiate detox (ROD)? – Alexander DeLuca, Addiction-related FAQ #18, 2001.

Heroin Detoxification – Michael M. Miller, Letter to the Editor, JAMA, 295:885-886, 2006.

Two Doctors May Lose Licenses Over Fast-Detox Method Medicine – Associated Press; 2000-12-31.