TY  -  JOUR
AU  -  Girardi, Paolo
AU  -  Rapinesi, Chiara
AU  -  Cuomo, Ilaria
AU  -  Kotzalidis, Georgios D.
AU  -  Del Casale, Antonio
AU  -  Serata, Daniele
AU  -  Campi, Sandra
AU  -  Caloro, Matteo
AU  -  De Chiara, Lavinia
AU  -  Tamorri, Stefano Maria
AU  -  Scatena, Paola
AU  -  Caccia, Federica
AU  -  Bersani, Francesco Saverio
AU  -  Carbonetti, Paolo
AU  -  Vento, Alessandro
AU  -  Dimitri-Valente, Giorgia
AU  -  Tatarelli, Roberto
AU  -  Fensore, Claudio
AU  -  Ferracuti, Stefano
AU  -  Angeletti, Gloria
T1  -  Life-saving electroconvulsive therapy in a patient 
with near-lethal catatonia
PY  -  2012
Y1  -  2012-11-01
DO  -  10.1708/1183.13097
JO  -  Rivista di Psichiatria
JA  -  Riv Psichiatr
VL  -  47
IS  -  6
SP  -  535
EP  -  537
PB  -  Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore
SN  -  2038-2502
Y2  -  2026/05/21
UR  -  http://dx.doi.org/10.1708/1183.13097
N2  -  SUMMARY. A young woman with bipolar I disorder and comorbid catatonia on enteral nutrition from several months, developed a form of near-lethal catatonia with weight loss, pressure sores, muscle atrophy, electrolyte imbalance, and depression of vital signs. A compulsory treatment was necessary, and informed consent was obtained from her mother for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). After 7 ECT sessions, the patient recovered and resumed feeding. ECT may save the life of a patient with catatonia provided that legal obstacles are overcome. Clinicians should carefully evaluate patients with near-lethal catatonia, taking into account the risk of pulmonary embolism or other fatal events. The medical-legal issues, which vary across state regulations, should be addressed in detail to avoid unnecessary and potentially harmful delay in intervention.
ER  -