BILATERAL ELECTROCONVULSIVE THERAPY FOR POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER COMORBID TO DEPRESSION

We aim to present a patient who was suffering from treatment-resistant depression along with psychotic features and comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder and was treated by bilateral electroconvulsive therapy.

Case Report:

A 58-year-old female patient was transferred to the University Hospital Münster with the diagnosis of treatment-refractory depression with psychotic features and post-traumatic stress disorder. The patient was non-responsive to unilateral electroconvulsive therapy and multiple antidepressant agents during several inpatient treatments. After initiating bilateral electroconvulsive therapy, the patient’s symptoms improved significantly.

Conclusion:

After ruling out conventional treatment algorithms for psychotic depression comorbid to post-traumatic stress disorder, physicians can consider bilateral electroconvulsive therapy to treat complicated cases.

Keywords:

Stress disorders, post-traumatic, electroconvulsive therapy, depressive disorder, psychotic disorders