Deaths and Severe Adverse Events Associated With Anesthesia-Assisted Rapid Opioid Detoxification

Authors and Disclosures

David Berlin, MD, Brenna M. Farmer, MD, Rama B. Rao, MD, Joseph Rella, MD
New York Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Hillary Kunins, MD, Deborah Dowell, MD, Nathan Graber, MD, Robert S. Hoffman, MD, Adam Karpati, MD, Don Weiss, MD
New York City Dept of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Christopher Jones, PharmD
Div of Unintentional Injury Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control

Amita Toprani, MD, Alison Ridpath, MD
EIS officers, CDC.

Corresponding contributor
Amita Toprani, vij2@cdc.gov.

Sidebar

What Is Already Known on This Topic?

• Anesthesia-assisted rapid opiate detoxification (AAROD) does not reduce subjective opioid withdrawal symptom scores more than traditional opioid detoxification modalities, but has been associated with a high risk for severe adverse events, including death.

What Is Added by This Report?

• Of 75 patients who underwent AAROD at a New York City clinic during January–September 2012, two died and five others experienced serious adverse events requiring hospitalization.

What Are the Implications for Public Health Practice?

• To reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with opioid dependence, evidence-based approaches (e.g., medication-assisted treatment) should be used for its management.