Out on Pubmed today is this letter-to-the-editor in JECT from Okayama, Japan: 

Electroconvulsive Therapy Is Effective and Safe for Serious Catatonia-Related Ileus: Two Case Reports.
Yamada Y, Fujiwara M, So R, Edahiro S, Matsui Y, Sakamoto S, Kawada K, Takaki M, Ishizu S, Kanazawa K, Kishi Y, Yamada N.J ECT. 2020 May 22. doi: 10.1097/YCT.0000000000000686. Online ahead of print.PMID: 32453185

The link to the citation is above.
These are 2 very well described case reports of  patients with severe medical complications in the context of catatonia. The patients received excellent medical and psychiatric care, including in one patient modifying the first 4 treatments with intubation, to reduce the risk of aspiration. The patients did well, with resolution of  both catatonia and gastrointestinal problems.
This report is a reminder of the potential serious multiple medical complications that can develop
with prolonged catatonia, and a call to consider ECT early in the course to prevent them.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

ECT vs Ketamine: NEJM Article Sets Up False Equivalency

RUL ECT vs Low Amplitude Seizure Therapy (LAP-ST)

ECT For Children at a University Hospital: New Study in JECT