Fractures complicating electro-convulsive therapy and chronic epilepsy.

نویسنده

J P KELLY

چکیده

The use cu electro-convulsive therapy has established itself in psychiatric practice. Opinion varies considerably about the risk of fractured limbs and spines. Accidental electric shocks have caused severe injuries to the spine and limbs, but with electro-convulsive therapy the passage of the current is briefer, the voltage is lower, the amperage is less and the size of the terminals is smaller. Nevertheless the current is sufficient to produce unconsciousness and epileptiform convulsions and in some cases contractions so great as to cause fracture of the spine or other bones. The least necessary to produce a major convulsion is about 100 volts and the duration about 0 3 second. The present investigation was undertaken to assess the injuries (fractures and dislocations) complicating electro-convulsive therapy in a group of patients treated in the Lancaster Moor Hospital between 1942 and 1952. During this period of ten years 2,200 patients received electro-convulsive therapy from a single treatment to several series of treatments. In all, 37,000 convulsions were induced. Fractures of the spine, humerus, femoral neck and scapula were noted. The site distribution of the fifty-three fractures and dislocations is shown in Table I. TABLE I

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