Electroconvulsive Therapy for Refractory Status Epilepticus: A Case Series

Status epilepticus refractory to conventional anti-epileptic drugs typically has a poor prognosis, but patients may recover well if seizures can be stopped. Case reports suggest that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may stop seizures in patients with refractory status epilepticus, and we sought to examine its effectiveness in a series of patients. Three consecutive patients with refractory status epilepticus at our institution were treated with ECT after other therapies had failed. ECT stopped seizures in 2 of 3 patients. One patient had complete neurological recovery; the other was left with mild cognitive impairment and epilepsy, but returned to independent living. ECT may be an effective therapy for refractory status epilepticus and warrants further study for this indication.