TMS + Ketamine for OCD
Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation has been shown to safely and effectively treat the symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder, (OCD), particularly in those patients who have not achieved sufficient improvement from traditional treatments for OCD. Ketamine has been shown to reduce negative rumination and negative, cyclic thinking. Combining Deep TMS and Ketamine may treat OCD more effectively than either treatment alone, and possibly more effectively than cognitive behavioral therapy and psychopharmacology.
The treatment utilizes a magnetic field emitted by patented H7-coil to directly reach broader and deeper brain regions than its predecessor TMS modalities, regulating the neural activity of brain structures associated with OCD – specifically the anterior cingulate cortex and medial prefrontal cortex.
A peer-reviewed multicenter clinical study found Deep TMS to be a highly effective OCD treatment, with more than one in three treatment-resistant OCD patients achieving “response”, greatly improving their quality of life.
As a noninvasive procedure, Deep TMS is a well-tolerated treatment that does not cause any adverse or long-lasting side effects. It does not require a significant recovery period, and the 18-min treatment can easily be integrated into each patient’s day-to-day schedule.
How it works: After placing you in a comfortable recliner chair, the TMS headpiece is placed and positioned properly. Then, using a microscopic needle a small dose of Ketamine is administered, which will both dull any discomfort from the TMS pulses and add to the benefits of the protocol.
Cost: In the U.S., BrainsWay’s Deep TMS treatment is covered by Medicare and nearly all major private insurers to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) and anxious depression. Many insurers also cover Deep TMS treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Currently, smoking addiction treatment is not covered.
For us to receive Pre-Authorization from your insurance carrier, you must have tried and failed a trial of two medications or inability to tolerate the side effects.
The cost for the intramuscular Ketamine portion is $50.
Contraindications: TMS should not be administered to patients who have ferromagnetic or magnetic sensitive metal objects implanted in the head or neck areas in close proximity to the TMS coil magnetic fields. It is also contraindicated if you have a pacemaker, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), and vagus nerve stimulators (VNS). You are at high risk with epilepsy, a history of head injury, or other serious neurologic issues.
Studies:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35267254/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8794478/