EEG-Monitored ECT: A Comparison of Seizure Duration under Anesthesia with Etomidate and Thiopentone

Electroencephalogram-monitored electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) was carried out in 20 depressed inpatients. Before treatment, patients were randomly allocated to treatment using etomidate (Hypnomidat) (n = 10) or thiopentone (n = 10) for anesthesia. The groups were matched for sex, age, weight, and type and severity of depression. The seizure duration (seconds) was measured by electroencephalography (EEG), and the electrical energy (Joules, J) was determined for each treatment. A ratio of seizure duration:electrical energy (s/J) was computed. Both seizure duration and seizure duration:electrical energy were greater in the etomidate group than in the thiopentone group, whereas electrical energy did not differ significantly. The number of treatments in the etomidate group did not differ from that in the thiopentone group, as may be expected, perhaps because of the small size.