Anesthesia Management for Electroconvulsive Therapy.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was first introduced in the late 1930s. In 2016, 1.4 million people worldwide were treated with ECT, a procedure that differs from any other. Indications for ECT include schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, catatonia, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, and bipolar disorder. Additionally, ECT can be beneficial for patients with autism spectrum disorder, specifically those with self-injurious behaviors and severe behaviors related to agitated or excited catatonia. As indications for ECT have grown, the results of therapy have proven beneficial. The anesthesia care for these patients has a direct impact on the initiation of a seizure, the duration and quality of which determines whether the procedure is successful. The anesthetic nuances of the procedure make it imperative that anesthesia providers not only understand the procedure, but also how the medications chosen and comorbidities of the patient can alter the outcome. This can ensure that providers utilize the most up to date practices while ensuring that care is delivered in a systematic approach providing safer, more effective patient care.