The nimhans model ect instrument: a technical report

Abstract

The importance of electrical dose measurement ("dosimetry") during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been gaining recognition. There is a need to explicitly provide full details of the electrical stimulus used during ECT. The conventional sinewave ECT stimulators in use in our country suffer from some limitations in this regard. To overcome these, a new model of ECT instrument was designed to deliver unmodified, bidirectional sinewave stimuli, with facilities for measuring the electrical dose incorporated into the instrument. The report outlines the features of this model of ECT instrument, and describes the dosimetric observations carried out in preclinical and clinical settings.