Classics in ECT: Experimental Modified ECT Anesthesia Technique From 1969

 "Classics in ECT" brings you this article from the British Journal of Anaesthesia, from 1969:

Electroconvulsive therapy no-relaxant anaesthesia.

Delilkan AE.Br J Anaesth. 1969 Oct;41(10):884-9. doi: 10.1093/bja/41.10.884.PMID: 5347162

The pdf is here.

The first page of the article is here:

Here's an interesting report, of historical interest, written by an anesthesiologist in Malaysia in 1969. It describes an experimental anesthesia and ECT technique that attempted to eliminate the need for muscle relaxation. It involved methohexital anesthesia induction, a gradually ramped up stimulus delivery (also called the "glissando" method) and manual holding of the patient's jaw, to eliminate dental/oral injury. The author reports good results, including better hemodynamics.

Of course, this did not catch on, and is of purely historical interest, but it is an example of well-intentioned attempts to optimize overall ECT technique. For history buffs, this is a good one, and a full read is ~ 10 minutes.