What Is Anesthesia Detox? Learn the Benefits, Risks and How It Is Performed

How Does Anesthesia Detox Work?

It is vital to have a clear understanding of what anesthesia detox is, how it works and the differences between anesthesia detox centers.

Anesthesia detox methods use opioid antagonist medications to shorten the duration of acute withdrawal to a period of minutes instead of several days or weeks. Furthermore, while sedated, the patient is not subject to discomfort or relapse. When the patient awakens, detoxification is complete, and there is no awareness of experiencing severe withdrawal syndrome. More importantly, the blockage of physical craving with naltrexone therapy can be initiated to reduce the risk of relapse. Rapid detoxification under anesthesia has assisted thousands of patients in achieving freedom from opioid addiction.

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Anesthesia Detox Centers

Rapid detox started in the late 1970s when doctors began writing about their work with anesthesia detox protocols. Since its first report in the late ’70s, detoxification under anesthesia has gained tremendous popularity. Prominent physicians in this exciting and promising field of pharmacology and addiction medicine include Dr. Kebler, Dr. Loimer, Dr. Resnick, and Dr. Legarda. Their remarkable and revolutionary work has allowed thousands of patients to complete detoxification from opiates in a safe, efficient and humane manner.

What Medications Are Used for Detoxification Under Anesthesia?

Anesthesia detox uses an infusion of FDA-approved medications including sedatives and antagonists. These intravenous medications quickly induce withdrawal and remove the opioids from the receptors while the patient is under sedation. The process takes place in an ICU of a hospital and lasts approximately 30 to 90 minutes. Throughout the detox process, a board-certified anesthesiologist and his team monitor patients’ vital signs to ensure stability and to make sure that the withdrawal is proceeding successfully.

Is Anesthesia-Assisted Detox Safe?

The Waismann Method® has performed thousands of successful anesthesia detox procedures, for nearly two decades. When physicians provide anesthesia assisted opiate detox responsibly, the results are astounding. The positive results achieved with anesthesia assisted opioid detox are much higher than with the traditional methods of detoxification. This protocol significantly reduces the length of withdrawal symptoms, along with the severity of the symptoms. Sedating the patient allows the patient not to have a recollection of most of the severe discomfort associated with an opioid withdrawal syndrome. Sleeping through the anesthesia-assisted rapid opiate detox provides for a higher success rate than most other forms of opioid detoxification.

It is essential that an experienced anesthesiologist should perform the anesthesia detox in a full-service hospital. Furthermore, having treatment is a hospital provides patients with additional medical specialists who can accurately assess and assist in each case.

Am I a Candidate for Anesthesia Detoxification?

Treatment centers should tailor protocols based on patients’ unique history and conditions. Anesthesia-assisted detox is not for everyone, and in this case, other medical options should be available.  Regardless of which detox is chosen, with or without anesthesia, medical resources must be abundant. Additionally, hospital discharge should rely only on the doctors believe that the patient is ready. There should be no pre-set time or urgency to discharge.

Ultimately, anesthesia detox centers should treat patients in private rooms, allowing for undivided attention and individualized medical care. Following these basic rules maximizes rapid detox safety and ensures the comfort of the patient.

In response to news including a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report titled ‘severe adverse effects associated with rapid anesthesia detox programs’, Waismann Method® Medical Director Dr. Michael Lowenstein is calling for the creation of basic standards of care for all anesthesia assisted detox programs. “We should not cut corners, provide insufficient medical care or offer overnight miracles” says Dr. Lowenstein. These practices minimize the success of the process and maximize the potential risks to patients.

How does Anesthesia Detox Work?

Where can I find Anesthesia Detox Centers?

Anesthesia Detox is done in an ICU of a full-service hospital, under the care of skilled anesthesiologists. A full-service hospital provides patients with a considerate amount of medical resources, including a simple consultation or immediate assistance in case of an emergency. Some rapid detox centers utilize overnight surgical centers to cut costs. It is important to know that surgy centers, cannot provide patients with the level and medical resources otherwise available at a hospital and often necessary for anesthesia detox.

A full-service hospital provides:

• The necessary inpatient time for physicians to understand how the patient responds to key medications used during anesthesia detox.
• Private Rooms pre, during, and post detox which allows undivided attention, a higher level of comfort, and privacy.
• The immediate medical resources one may require to ensure maximum safety and comfort of the patient.
• The availability of additional medical specialists for a comprehensive individual assessment.
• An ICU Unit provides close and constant attention by a team of specially-trained healthcare providers.
• Various medical units and departments allow the ability to change the detox protocol, to better comply with patients medical needs.
• A hospital has no preset time restraints like a surgical center, and patients can extend their stay post detox if medically necessary.

What Happens after Accelerated Detox?

Numerous different organ functions change once an individual begins using opioids. After detox, these organs will need to find a new baseline, a new way to function without opioids. It is important to remember, that there is significant chemical deregulation that occurs as a result of the opioid use, and the process of re-regulating has just begun. While there usually is some discomfort throughout the transitional phase, if you are in a hospital, the medical staff can provide immediate help. Identifying, mitigating, and eliminating some of the unpleasant symptoms makes for a much happier patient.

Once the hospital stay is no longer necessary, patients can transition to a recovery retreat for a few days. A recovery center provides people have around the clock care and support. Furthermore, this new phase is usually a challenging and often scary time for most. Anxiety and fear are common feelings before one needs to face life without drugs. Also, simple functions such as sleep, maintaining energy or gastrointestinal activity; might be a challenge. Having professional support, without the pressures family and loved ones, can dictate the success of the process.

Benefits of Rapid Anesthesia Detoxification

Mission almost completed! Now we need to navigate through the regulation period for a few days. An inpatient recovery center allows individuals to receive professional support through this new phase. The patient is then able to return home and resume normal activities like work and school relatively quickly, while opiate-free. While anesthesia detox is not a cure for drug addiction, it is probably the best available treatment for opioid dependence.

Anesthesia detox provides:

• Comprehensive knowledge of patients current physical health before detox.
• The assistance and supervision of a specialized medical team, during the withdrawal phase.
• An immediate solution for the reversal of opioid physical dependence, without unnecessary suffering or risk of relapsing during detox.
• Successful detox from MAT drugs like Suboxone and Methadone, which otherwise could cause weeks or even months of withdrawal symptoms.
• Opioid Use Disorder treatment, without personal shame that is so common in drug rehabs.
• The ability to rapidly detox, without having to abandon responsibilities for long periods.
• An opportunity to start Naltrexone or Vivitrol therapy, without delays.
• Much higher opioid detoxification success rate, than traditional methods.

Given all of the points and many more that we have not mentioned, rapid detoxification under anesthesia is a quick, safe and effective treatment for Opioid Use Disorder. Although detox centers vary in safety and effectiveness, when rapid detox is performed correctly and responsibly, it can be a life-saving solution.