Neuromodulation therapies

Non-invasive neuromodulation therapies do not require any surgical procedures to be carried out and thus do not cause serious harm to the patient. The non-invasive neuromodulation therapies provided at Turku University Hospital include: 

• Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)
• Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
• Ketamine infusion therapy
• High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU)

In invasive neuromodulation therapies, implantable devices that act on the central nervous system, such as stimulators, are surgically installed inside the body. Invasive therapies require surgical procedures. The invasive neuromodulation therapies provided at Turku University Hospital include:

• Deep brain stimulation (DBS)
• Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS)
• Intratechtal Baclofen pump (ITB)
• Spinal cord stimulation (SCS)
• Dorsal root stimulation (DRG)
• Motor cortex stimulation (MCS)
• Occipital nerve stimulation (OCN)

Some neuromodulation therapies are classified as experimental when the treatment is based on weak positive evidence (class C research evidence). The use of an experimental form of treatment always requires the patient's informed written consent. In addition, other preconditions for the use of experimental therapy are that it is based on a medical theory, other evidence-based treatment method are not available or are unsuitability for the patient, and that the experimental treatment method yields potent benefits.