Safe Administration of Electroconvulsive Therapy in Patient with Ventricular Septal Defect Patch: A Rare Case Report

• Published in: Indian journal of psychological medicine Vol. 40; no. 2; pp. 183 - 185
• Main Authors: Kovvuri, Sritha Reddy, Tekkalaki, Bheemsain, Patil, N. M., Chate, Sameeran S., Patil, Sandeep
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Delhi, India SAGE Publications 01.03.2018; Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd; Sage Publications Ltd. (UK); Sage Publications, New Delhi India; Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd; SAGE Publishing
• Subjects: Cardiac patients; Case Report; Case reports; Electroconvulsive therapy; Health aspects; Heart failure; Heart rate; Patients; Psychiatry; Psychosis; Greenland; safety; Electroconvulsive therapy; ventricular septal defect
• ISSN: 0253-7176; 0975-1564; 0975-1564
• DOI: 10.4103/IJPSYM.IJPSYM_168_17

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a safe and effective treatment for many psychiatric illnesses. Even in cardiac patients, it is a low-risk procedure as compared to chronic use of the medications with possible side effects. Although rare, cardiovascular events during ECT remain a principal cause of morbidity and mortality. Therefore, administration of ECT in cardiac patients remained questionable. There is no data regarding the safety of ECT administration in patients with repaired ventricular septal defect (VSD), and to the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of safe administration of ECT in patient with VSD. In this case report, we describe a patient with bipolar affective disorder, with repaired VSD, who was safely and successfully treated with ECT. It is essential that appropriate cardiac management be provided before, during, and after ECT by a multidisciplinary team of psychiatrists, cardiologists, and anesthesiologists. This case report suggests that ECT can be safely given to patients with repaired VSD, wherever there is an absolute indication for ECT.