Ketamine is a Hypnotic drug that has several qualities making it useful in medicine. It was first developed as an animal tranquilizer for large animals. It soon became the mainstay in veterinary medicine for sedation during procedures. In fact, I used it extensively during my Graduate work sedating animals prior to drawing blood or just generally handing the animals during experiments. It soon became useful as a medication for procedural sedation in Human Medicine.
Ketamine has a unique feature in that in addition to providing a twilight level of consciousness, it also blocks pain from reaching the brain. Therefore, minor procedures which would require deeper anesthesia or additional analgesia (local lidocaine injections or nerve /pain blocks) are not necessary. It is a perfect drug for pediatric patients when painful procedures such as broken bones or extensive suturing are required, Ketamine can provide both sedation as well as totally painless procedures.
In recent years it has found new uses as a means to help remodel the brain; providing a complete reversal of suicidal depression with a single treatment. Further uses for treating concussions, chronic headaches, debilitating anxiety, chronic pain as well as depression have been developed. In the right hands, this medication can truly change a persons life and outlook. However, as mentioned before its use is selective and Dr. Perry works with the patient to determine if the Ketamine treatments are appropriate.
Of course with such medications comes the potential for abuse and its availability and abuse by celebrities has been in the media. Fortunately, Dr. Perry isn’t driven by the media and couldn’t care less about celebrity or Social Network Influencers. His training and working as a Toxicologist, as well as, Emergency Medicine Physician gives him the experience and knowledge to properly use the medicine to help people and not succumb to the aura of the celebrity and violate the precept of ‘primum non nocere’ First, do no harm.
This treatment is done by appointment only and requires a preliminary interview and exam. The initial interview and exam are not covered by insurance and costs $175 and the actual IV treatment costs from $500 for depression and concussion treatments and $750 per treatment for Chronic Pain (the initial evaluation and treatment may be done on the same day. The IV treatment takes approximately 30 minutes and requires a driver to take you home. Afterwards, most patients are a little groggy, but we always treat on the side of caution. Often several treatments may be needed but that will be discussed with Dr. Perry during the first exam. There are financing options also available particularly for long term care courses.
