Subcutaneous implants (chips) are effective in the treatment of alcohol and drug addiction, which is now considered a chronic disease. The aim of the treatment is to keep the patient clean and free from drugs or alcohol for life.
The aim of detoxification treatment is to reduce cravings.
When an addict is admitted to treatment, the first week is designated as detoxification treatment. In other words, while removing the substance from the body, the withdrawal symptoms are minimized, and the patient's body is cleansed of the substance without too much distress, and then, if there is an additional psychiatric illness, its treatment is provided.
In the next step, instead of the substance that is biologically effective on the receptors, drugs that can keep the person away from the substance and reduce cravings and cravings are used.
Treatment-drug compliance will become easier
Until now, medications have always been used in the form of tablets, dragees, capsules, i.e. a single daily dose, taken orally. However, studies show that, as in chronic diseases, especially in addiction patients, treatment and medication compliance is extremely low. For this reason, long-acting drugs are being developed for all diseases.
The aim of chip treatment is to reduce cravings
One of these medicines is a slow-release application known as "chip", which is placed under the skin and is known to be effective for about 2 months.
It should stay in the body for at least a year
Chip treatment is not applied to every patient. It is applied to patients who are motivated for treatment and who can follow up with the hospital team. It is especially applied in patients with heroin and alcohol addiction. Very good results have been obtained from the applications so far. Depending on the patient's condition, the implant needs to be replaced every 2-2.5 months. We expect the implant application to continue for at least one year in a patient.
It prevents the substance from acting
The most important feature of the implant (chip) is that it prevents the substance from having an effect on the person to whom it is applied.
Staying away from the substance becomes a new source of motivation for the person. We wait 5 days or a week to start treatment because if there is heroin or alcohol in the blood, especially if there is heroin, we cannot apply the implant. If the implant is applied when there is heroin in the blood, it quickly removes the heroin in that receptor and sticks itself there. Thus, the patient goes into heroin poverty and heroin crisis very quickly. In other words, it is a very troublesome situation for that patient.
With a hospitalization of about 7-10 days, first the blood is cleaned and then the implant is applied. This process takes between 5-7 days. After the implant is applied, the patient's condition is observed for a few days and the patient is discharged on the 15th day.
Different implants are applied for different substance addictions
Different implants are used for different substance addictions. Alcohol addicted patients receive "disulfram" implants. Those addicted to heroin are given "naltrexone implants". A drug that must be taken every day blocks an enzyme that breaks down alcohol when you take it. In other words, if a person drinks alcohol while taking the drug, it can cause alcohol poisoning very quickly because alcohol cannot be broken down and excreted in the body. The patient is given detailed information before the application. This application is a form of deterrent treatment that somehow keeps the patient away from drinking alcohol.
Inserted in the lower abdomen
During the follow-up process at the hospital, after the psychiatrist states that the patient's condition is suitable for the implant set, the implant is placed by the general surgeon through a small surgical procedure, mostly in the lower abdomen, by making a subcutaneous incision of about one centimeter. After the implant is inserted, the patient is monitored for 24 hours against the risk of infection.
