E Tecoult1, N Nathan. 1. Département d'Anesthésie-Réanimation, CHU Dupuytren, 87042 Limoges Cédex, France.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To assess retrospectively the complications and morbidity of electroconvulsive therapy. METHODS: Complications occurring in 75 patients during 612 electroconvulsive therapy procedures under propofol anaesthesia were reviewed by data analysis. RESULTS: At least one complication occurred in 51 patients (68%) during the course of their treatment. Among these complications, 12 were potentially life-threatening: one patient developed angina pectoris, another aspiration pneumopathy, there were two incidences of bronchospasm, three hypoxic episodes (SpO2 < 92% with FiO2=1) and five severe episodes of laryngospasm which caused hypoxia. Twenty-five patients (33%) were confused for more than 2 h after the electroconvulsive therapy. Confusion recurred in 10 patients (13%) after several sessions of electroconvulsive treatment. Six patients had a traumatic complication, with one requiring surgery. CONCLUSION: Our results, compared with other studies, suggest that electroconvulsive therapy is not a low-risk procedure, with a particularly high rate of respiratory complications that may have been previously overlooked. Therefore, ambulatory anaesthesia may not be appropriate on a regular basis for most of these patients.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To assess retrospectively the complications and morbidity of electroconvulsive therapy. METHODS: Complications occurring in 75 patients during 612 electroconvulsive therapy procedures under propofol anaesthesia were reviewed by data analysis. RESULTS: At least one complication occurred in 51 patients (68%) during the course of their treatment. Among these complications, 12 were potentially life-threatening: one patient developed angina pectoris, another aspiration pneumopathy, there were two incidences of bronchospasm, three hypoxic episodes (SpO2 < 92% with FiO2=1) and five severe episodes of laryngospasm which caused hypoxia. Twenty-five patients (33%) were confused for more than 2 h after the electroconvulsive therapy. Confusion recurred in 10 patients (13%) after several sessions of electroconvulsive treatment. Six patients had a traumatic complication, with one requiring surgery. CONCLUSION: Our results, compared with other studies, suggest that electroconvulsive therapy is not a low-risk procedure, with a particularly high rate of respiratory complications that may have been previously overlooked. Therefore, ambulatory anaesthesia may not be appropriate on a regular basis for most of these patients.
Authors: Chittaranjan Andrade; N Shah; P Tharyan; M S Reddy; M Thirunavukarasu; R A Kallivayalil; R Nagpal; N K Bohra; A Sharma; E Mohandas Journal: Indian J Psychiatry Date: 2012-04 Impact factor: 1.759
Authors: Michał Próchnicki; Grzegorz Rudzki; Michał Dzikowski; Andrzej Jaroszyński; Hanna Karakula-Juchnowicz Journal: PLoS One Date: 2019-10-23 Impact factor: 3.240