Chicago Anesthesiologist Develops Injections to Treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Chicago-based anesthesiologist Eugene Lipov, MD, has developed a drug that could treat post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a Stars and Stripes report.

According to the report, Dr. Lipov discovered in 2007 that injecting a local anesthetic into a bundle of nerves in the necks of war veterans relieved PTSD symptoms. He has tried three times in the last four years to get the Department of Defense to fund a study on the treatment, but even with an endorsement from then-Sen. Barack Obama, he has been unable to achieve his goal.

Dr. Lipov's results, tested on 12 patients, were duplicated by an Army physician in 2009 with two soldiers at Walter Read Army Medical Center. Lt. Col. Sean Mulvaney's results were published in Pain Practice, where he reported that both of his patients with chronic PTSD experienced "immediate, significant and durable relief." He has now treated 15 patients with the shot.

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