Brief report: Ketamine-assisted "bridge therapy" for opioid tapering in complex cases.
The American journal on addictions January 28, 2026 Mariana C De Oliveira, Cláudia C De Araujo Palmeira, André B Negrão et al. 1 citation
A 25-year-old woman with opioid use disorder, chronic pain, and major depressive disorder received eight weekly intravenous ketamine infusions (0.5 mg/kg) alongside a gradual reduction of her methadone dose. After the protocol, her methadone dosage was cut by 50%, and she experienced better control of pain and cravings, fewer withdrawal symptoms, and increased participation in psychotherapy. The report suggests that ketamine-assisted bridge therapy may help support opioid tapering in patients with multiple co-occurring conditions.