New Treatment for Chronic or Recurrent Depression
Washington University specialists in the departments of psychiatry and neurosurgery are now offering Vagus Nerve Stimulation therapy, as a long-term treatment for treatment-resistant depression in patients that are 18 years of age and older, who meet appropriate medical guidelines.
The Department of Psychiatry will accept referrals from physicians seeking a second opinion for their patients with treatment-resistant depression. Patients must be referred by their physician to be considered for this treatment.
If you are a physician and would like more information on the Vagus Nerve Stimulation treatment or to make a consultation appointment for your patient, please call (314) 362-1819.
The following Washington University Physicians work collaboratively to provide this new treatment for depression:
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most prevalent and serious illnesses in the United States, affecting nearly 19 million Americans every year. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States and worldwide.
Approximately 20 percent of depressed Americans, or approximately four million people, experience chronic or recurrent treatment resistant depression (TRD) who have failed to respond to multiple antidepressant treatments including antidepressant medications, counseling, and in some cases electroconvulsive therapy.
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Approved by the Federal Drug Administration for treatment of chronic or recurrent depression in July 2005, this stimulator therapy has actually been approved and available for the treatment of epilepsy for nearly ten years. During clinical trials for this antidepressant therapy, approximately one-third of the patients suffering from drug resistant depression experienced improvement in their depression scores.
This small pacemaker device delivers intermittent, preprogrammed, mild electrical impulses to the vagus nerve 24 hours a day and is implanted beneath the skin, under the clavicle. The impulses are sent to the brain via wires that are connected to the vagus nerve in the neck region.
The coverage for this therapy is approved on a case by case basis by most insurance health plans and Medicare.