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The use of Electroplexy (E.C.T.) in Psychiatric Syndromes Complicating Pregnancy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 February 2018

S. Smith*
Affiliation:
Barrow Hospital, Barrow Gurney, Bristol

Extract

Electroplexy is now a widely accepted and used treatment in psychiatric practice. Primarily it is by far the most reliable means of terminating or resolving depressive attacks, months or indeed years before the anticipated remission of these illnesses on their own accord. Less commonly it is also regarded as an effective treatment in some schizophrenic states, particularly the acute type, or schizophreniform illness, “but actually most schizophrenics are treated at some stage of their illness with electrically induced convulsions” (Kalinowsky and Hoch, 1952). Neither depressive nor schizophrenic syndromes are infrequent in pregnancy and the question must therefore be posed in some of these complications whether electroplexy is justified; whether it can be used safely either alone or with relaxants; and what, if any, deleterious effects may be imposed on the mother and/or foetus.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1956 

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