Title : Correlation of seizure duration to anaesthetic dosage in patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy
Abstract:
Most psychiatrists use electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) under general anesthesia with muscle relaxants. Normally, a psychiatrist discharges amount of electricity as small as possible to trigger a patient up to the ideal seizure threshold; while an anesthetist administers drugs such as sodium thiopental and succinylcholine as low as possible to control patient’s cardio-pulmonary system. Interestingly, the correlation of seizure duration to anesthetics dosage in patients undergoing successive ECT, has not been mentioned in the previous studies. Investigators believe that this relationship would help to imply the use of appropriate drugs for the benefits of psychiatric patients in normal practice. This retrospective study has been approved by Siriraj Institutional Review Board (COA: Si445/2017) and registered via Thai Clinical Trial Registry (TCTR20180810002). The data were collected from September 2017 to September 2018. The inclusion criteria were both male and female patients, aged 15-65 years, ASA I-II, presenting with psychosis, and completely treated with successive ECT (six of 25-60 sec convulsive duration in each therapeutic course). The exclusion criteria were patients with uncontrolled medical problems, vertebral osteoporosis or fracture and repeated ECT in one episode.
Take Away Notes:
• To learn the correlation of seizure duration to anesthetic dosage in patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy
• To know the appropriate dosage of Sodium thiopental and succinylcholine for patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy
