Anaesthesia in ECT

Abstract

In this retrospective study, the effect of ECT treatment of 53 patients who received either propofol or methohexitone for the induction of anaesthesia was reviewed. There was no evidence to suggest that patients who received ECT under propofol required additional ECT applications, despite the fact that the duration of seizure was significantly shorter than with methohexitone. Differences in the recorded clinical outcome following ECT course were not statistically significant. As propofol is known to result in less cognitive impairment post-anaesthesia (hence its suitability in day surgery cases), a major problem is how to assess this benefit, in the light of the increased cognitive impairment produced by having a higher stimulus.

Key Words:

• ECT
• propofol
• methohexitone
• seizure duration