New York-Based Provider of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy for Depression Opens New San Francisco Center

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Lenox Hill TMS Psychiatric Associates, a recognized New York provider of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) therapy, today announced the opening of their new San Francisco TMS Center in the Medical Arts Building at 2000 Van Ness Avenue in Nob Hill. The Center was opened in response to a shortage of TMS-providers in San Francisco. TMS therapy is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-cleared system that uses targeted magnetic pulses on patients whose depression has not previously responded to treatment with antidepressant medication.

"We have seen very promising results using TMS to treat our patients in our New York center, and approximately 70 percent of them have had a significant, favorable response," said Roberto Estrada, M.D., co-founder of Lenox Hill TMS Psychiatric Associates. "In bringing our TMS expertise to San Francisco, we look forward to partnering with practitioners in developing a collaborative treatment plan incorporating TMS into their patient's treatment program."

Patients do not require sedation and remain alert throughout the 40-minute procedure, which is administered in a reclining and comfortable chair specially designed for the treatment. TMS therapy is a non-systemic (does not circulate in the body's bloodstream) and non-invasive (does not involve surgery) form of treatment stimulating specific centers in the brain known to be linked to depression. A typical course of treatment ranges from 20-30 sessions, five days a week for four to six weeks, depending on patient response to treatment.

"Our approach to patient care is that it often may take a team of experts working together to better understand the needs of their patients," said Todd Feeley, M.D. "Depression is a very serious disease that can severely affect a person's life, interactions and ability to function. For those people who do not respond to medication, TMS is a safe and proven option."

Dr. Estrada has partnered with Dr. Feeley and Maria Lorente-Foresti, Ph.D., to support the San Francisco practice. With Bryan Bruno, M.D., co-founder of Lenox Hill TMS Psychiatric Associates, Dr. Estrada has used TMS to treat more than 75 patients since opening the New York Center in 2009.

"We are excited that Lenox Hill TMS of New York is expanding to San Francisco," said Bruce Shook, CEO of Neuronetics, maker of the NeuroStar® TMS Therapy System. "Dr. Estrada and the Lenox Hill TMS team will help meet the needs of San Francisco residents with depression by providing more access to this ground-breaking treatment."

About TMS Therapy
Since the 1980s, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has been used to study the nerve fibers that carry information about movements from the brain to the spinal cord and onto the muscles. In the late 1990s physicians began to explore the therapeutic potential of TMS for the treatment of a variety of diseases, with depression being the most thoroughly studied to date. Since then, more than 20 randomized, controlled trials studying TMS as a treatment for depression have been published by investigators worldwide. TMS therapy was FDA-cleared in 2008.

The most common side effect is brief and mild to moderate scalp discomfort or pain at the treatment area during active treatments – the incidence of this side effect generally declines after the first week of treatment. Fewer than five percent of patients during clinical trials discontinued the study due to any negative side effect.

No side effects such as weight gain, sexual problems, stomach problems, sleepiness, or dry mouth were seen during trials. There were no negative effects on memory or ability to concentrate.

About Lenox Hill TMS Psychiatric Associates
Lenox Hill TMS Psychiatric Associates was founded in New York, NY in affiliation with Lenox Hill Hospital, which has served the New York City area for more than 150 years. Lenox Hill TMS Psychiatric Associates' San Francisco office was opened in 2011 as a response to a Bay Area need for TMS providers. For more information, visit www.LenoxHillTMS.com

CONTACT:
Michelle Pollak Landwehr
Michelle Pollak PR
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SOURCE Lenox Hill TMS Psychiatric Associates