Role of Maintenance Electroconvulsive Therapy in a Case of Schizoaffective Disorder

Abstract An acute course of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) usually consists of a series of repetitive treatments spaced over 2–4 weeks. Once remission has been achieved, maintenance ECT (M-ECT) can be used to maintain remission and prevent relapse. Clinical observation and meta-analysis on psychiatric disorders suggest that a combination of pharmacotherapy and ECT has a better outcome in preventing reoccurrence of symptoms than either medications or ECTs alone. In this case report, we describe a 47-year-old woman with a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder who remained symptomatic despite optimal doses of two mood stabilizers and two antipsychotics. Her symptoms subsided after giving adjuvant M-ECTs. It was subsequently observed that with discontinuation of M-ECTs, symptoms would reappear. Here, we describe the role ECT played to prevent relapse and reduce the number of potential admissions for the above patient.