Propofol reduces seizure duration in patients having anaesthesia for electroconvulsive therapy

Abstract

Twenty-five patients received either metho-hexitone 1.0 mg kg-1 or propofol 1.3 mg kg-1 to induce anaesthesia during two separate electro - convulsive therapy (ECT) treatments. A forearm was isolated before administration of suxa-methonium 0.5 mg kg-1, so that unmodified seizure duration could be measured. Bifronto-temporal electrodes were applied to administer a standard 3-s ECT shock. Median (quartile deviation) duration of seizure was reduced significantly after propofol (19.0 (9.0) s), compared with after methohexitone (33.0 (7.8) s). Therefore propofol may not be an appropriate anaesthetic for ECT because of its adverse effect on seizure duration. © 1988 British Journal of Anaesthesia.