ELECTRO CONVULSIVE THERAPY
WHAT IS ECT?
Electro-convulsive therapy is a psychiatric treatment that is effective in the treatment of mood disorders, especially severe depression. It is also used in treating Bipolar Mood Disorder.
ECT is a series of electric seizures that are induced to stimulate the brain in order to normalise mood and functioning.
ECT has proven to improve the quality of life, both in the short and long term.
Patients can receive ECT as an Inpatient and as an Outpatient
INDICATIONS
ECT is recommended for:
• Those patients who suffer from severe depression and who have not responded to medication.
• Patients who have previously responded well to ECT.
• Situations when a patient, whose life is in danger as a consequence of not eating or drinking as a result of a severe psychiatric condition that has not responded to other interventions.
• When depression is life-threatening and suicidal ideation is high.
• Other disorders such as severe mania, and catatonia.
PREPARATION FOR ECT
• Discuss all queries with the psychiatrist.
• Once the patient understands the full procedure, he/she is required to sign the consent form
• Patients should not eat drink or smoke anything from 22H00 the previous night due to the administering of anaesthetic
• Wear loose comfortable clothes; remove all nail polish, jewellery, (including all other piercings) and makeup. Your jersey needs to be easily removable as a heart monitor needs to be placed on your chest and a BP monitor on your upper arm during the procedure.
• Your bladder needs to be emptied before the procedure.
• You need to have someone who can drive you to and from the clinic if you are an Outpatient
ECT PROCEDURE
The ECT procedure is given on a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with a series of 6 – 12 treatment recommended.
The procedure is performed in our ECT room, under anaesthetic that is administered by an Anaesthetist. Patients are not conscious during the procedure.
A muscle relaxant is administered in order to reduce the muscle spasms that would normally be a part of a seizure.
For your safety, you will be connected to monitoring equipment that will continuously check your heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen levels throughout the procedure.
The psychiatrist applies two electrodes against both temples which send out an electric stimulus.
The procedure is quick and once complete the patient will be taken to our recovery room where they will be monitored and given a chance to wake up. Patients are generally fully alert and awake within ten minutes.
Refreshments and a light snack will be available in the recovery room.
EFFECTS OF ECT
As the course of ECT progresses improvement in mood, positive thinking and functionality in everyday life is noticed.
ECT is only a part of the recovery from depression. In order to continue one’s recovery after ECT treatment and maintain improvements, psychotherapy and chronic medication is necessary in most patients
SIDE EFFECTS
SHORT TERM:
• Patients complain of a headache and aching muscles immediately after the ECT
• Feelings of distress and often tearfulness
• International research has proven that ECT related memory problems do not last for more than 6 months after the last treatment. Generally the norm is short-term memory problems up to 6 weeks after the last treatment.
Most side effects tend to settle within a few hours
LONG TERM:
• There are numerous case reports of patients receiving ECT over as long as 50 years. Post-mortem studies failed to demonstrate any damage to the brain whatsoever.
AFTER TREATMENT
• You cannot drive within 24 hours after the Anaesthetic
• To try stay calm and take the time to rest after the treatment
• To continue only with medication prescribed by the psychiatrist and associated professionals. Please inform your psychiatrist of all chronic medication.
• To continue with counselling and psychotherapy after all ECT sessions are completed
COSTS
• You will be charged separately for the services of the Anaesthetist, Psychiatrist and Clinic.
• The cost of the treatment is based on the scale of benefits determined by your medical aid scheme. Each medical aid scheme determines their own benefits; therefore co-payment for the ECT treatment may be necessary in some instances
• Costs will also differ according to whether it is an Inpatient or Outpatient procedure.
PROFESSIONAL STAFF
Anaesthetist:
Dr. Sasha Botha
Psychiatrists:
Dr Jaco Du Toit and Dr Kim Ullyatt
Attending Nurses:
Specialized nursing staff
CONTACT DETAILS
Crescent Clinic
Tel: 011 792 9400
Fax: 011 792 2277info@crescentclinic.co.za
|
