Opiate detoxification procedures aim to reduce intensity and duration of wi
thdrawal. Ultra-rapid opiate detoxification (UROD) methods attempt to obtai
n this goal by administering naltrexone under deep sedation or anaesthesia.
We present a case study on accidental ingestion of naltrexone in a methado
ne maintenance patient, which shows close methodological similarities with
UROD procedures. Naltrexone was effective in reducing withdrawal duration,
but not as much as UROD studies report. The administration of naloxone afte
r detoxification did not trigger withdrawal symptoms, even in the presence
of methadone, as detected by urinalyses. These results suggest the importan
ce of further developing detoxification methods based on protocols of admin
istration of antagonists different from UROD, in absence of anaesthesia.