Dr. Randall Malchow, MD

Meet Randall Malchow, M.D.Dr. Malchow served as an anesthesiologist for 25 years in the armed forces before retiring as a colonel in 2008. He then became an associate professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, where he was the first Vanderbilt physician to offer intensive ketamine infusion therapy in 2014. In 2015, he established one of the few ketamine infusion centers (KIC) in the Veteran Health Administration and the only KIC in the U.S. specifically targeting opioid cessation/reduction.He is an acknowledged U.S. expert on ketamine administration, having presented his extensive experience with ketamine in the veteran population at the American Society of Ketamine Physicians Annual Meeting in 2018. Dr. Malchow has published over 20 peer-reviewed journal articles and serves regularly on worldwide medical missions supporting those in need.Dr. Malchow is honored to serve as the Medical Director for the AMG Ketamine & Wellness Center to provide compassionate and competent care for those suffering from depression, PTSD, OCD, chronic pain, and opioid dependence.About Ketamine Infusion TherapyKetamine is an anesthetic drug that has been safely administered by anesthesiologists since 1970. Over the past 20 years, physicians have learned that ketamine can be used to treat a variety of conditions including: Major depressionPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)Chronic painAt the AMG Ketamine & Wellness Center, we give hope to patients in the Nashville area who have not responded to other treatments for these conditions.Plus, our center is different. We can give the higher and often more effective doses of ketamine only anesthesiologists can safely administer. That means a greater percentage of our patients will experience relief and often can go longer periods between maintenance infusions, saving money and lessening inconvenience.Many patients for whom ketamine is effective in reducing pain are able to reduce the amount of pain medications they need to take, and some can entirely eliminate their dependence on opioid pain medicines.BEST PRACTICES…WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT?First, board-certified anesthesiologists with decades of experience in ketamine administration lead our team. We believe that a team led by physician anesthesiologists is best suited to provide comprehensive medical management of your condition, to safely administer ketamine and other anesthetic medications, and to implement a complete wellness plan to improve your overall quality of life.Second, we routinely use propofol sedation during the ketamine infusion in order to minimize any risk of unpleasant side effects.Third, we maximize physiologic monitoring every minute, on every patient, for every infusion including EKG, blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rate, as well as oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.Fourth, a Registered Nurse with critical care experience is dedicated to only one patient at a time in order to provide undivided attention and professional care to each individual patient.Fifth, in addition to ketamine infusions, we are a wellness center focusing on a holistic approach to your health and well-being. We believe that with this combined effort, the AMG Ketamine and Wellness Center will have better results including greater and longer relief in a safer environment with fewer side effects than other infusion centers.Finally, we are members of ASKP, American Society of Ketamine Providers, following national guidelines and pursuing excellence in the use of ketamine for better patient outcomes. How Ketamine WorksKetamine can work in three different ways to effectively treat pain and depression.It increases the amount of glutamate in the nervous system, which is an excitatory amino acid and neurotransmitter. This increases neuro connections so that the brain and spinal cord process pain in a healthier way, which also decreases depression.It resets pain receptors. With chronic pain, these receptors are turned on all the time. Ketamine quiets them down.It decreases the inflammation in the nervous system that contributes to pain and depression