Electroconvulsive Therapy Allegedly Causes Severe Mental Damage

Case Overview

The plaintiff was seeing a psychiatrist for bipolar disorder and depression. Though he had self-medicated with homeopathic remedies like St. John’s Wort, his worsening condition caused him to seek out more substantive medical care. Consequently, he had undergone ECT (electroconvulsive therapy several years prior to the events in question, and indicated they had titrated the voltage at that time. The plaintiff had severe symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation after this initial treatment, and he presented to the mental health clinic, where he was subjected to multiple ECT sessions. Following that treatment, he suffered from amnesia like symptoms, and has developed various cognitive impairments since that time. According to the plaintiff, when he was discharged from the clinic, he wandered aimlessly for several hours before he started to remember who he was. Since then, he has experienced a severe loss of sensations and other cognitive problems. He has had neuropsychological testing done, and his memory is now confirmed to have been severely compromised as well.

Questions to the Geriatrics expert and their responses

Are ECT dosages / voltages supposed to be titrated, according to standards of care as they existed at the time of initial treatment?

The administration of ECT requires adherence to standard guidelines for use, including recommendations regarding dosages and voltage.

Within reasonable medical probability, are the plaintiffs symptoms and cognitive difficulties directly attributable to the ECT he was subjected to?

I would need to review the records to determine if the plaintiff's symptoms and cognitive difficulties are directly attributable to ECT.

If so, are those symptoms expected, or could they have been avoided in any way?

It would be my pleasure to review this matter on behalf of the plaintiff to better assess the treatment plan rendered.

About the expert

This board-certified geriatric psychiatrist was formerly a consultant to the HealthCare Financing Administration to develop survey procedures for antipsychotic drug use in nursing homes in the 1990s. More recently, he has been a consultant to the Department of Justice regarding their investigation of one of the major pharmaceutical company's marketing and labeling of antipsychotic drugs for older persons. Across his 20+ year medical career, he has been appointed to professorships and high ranking directorships in his field.