Interventional Psychiatric Procedures

Procedures Offered at UH Lake West Medical Center

Procedures we offer include:

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

ECT is one of the safest and most effective treatments for depression. It may benefit patients who don’t respond to medications, are unable to tolerate the side effects of medication, or need a quick improvement in depressive symptoms. ECT is also used to treat manic symptoms and psychotic episodes associated with schizophrenia.

ECT is performed under general anesthesia. During the procedure, a brief electrical stimulus is delivered through electrodes applied to the scalp. Patients usually undergo a series of ECT treatments over the course of several weeks. ECT can directly improve depressive symptoms, as well as help current medications to work more effectively.

Intravenous Ketamine

Ketamine is a prescription medication that is approved to treat select patients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder or treatment-resistant bipolar disorder. It may be recommended if antidepressants and other therapy approaches have not resulted in adequate symptom relief.

Administered by an IV infusion in the arm, the effects of ketamine infusion therapy can last anywhere from days to weeks. Side effects are almost always mild and short in duration and may include dissociative changes and a temporary elevation of heart rate and blood pressure.

Nasal Esketamine (Spravato)

Esketamine is a prescription medication used to treat major depressive disorders and other mental health conditions.

Often used in conjunction with oral antidepressant medications, esketamine is self-administered as a nasal spray (brand name Spravato) under healthcare clinician supervision. Patients are then observed in the outpatient clinic until the potential for side effects has passed.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

TMS is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique in which rapidly changing magnetic pulses are introduced near the scalp. The pulses create an electric field which stimulates regions of the brain that are less active in people with depression. Increasing activity in these regions has been shown to ease depressive symptoms and improve mood.

TMS may be recommended if antidepressants and other therapy approaches have not resulted in adequate symptom relief.