A rare case of propofol-induced liver injury during modified electroconvulsive therapy in an elderly woman

Intern Med. 2013;52(7):761-5. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.52.9089. Epub 2013 Apr 1.

Abstract

A 75-year-old woman developed depression in 2010 and was treated with oral medications at our Department of Psychiatry. Since she showed no tendency toward improvement, she underwent modified electroconvulsive therapy (mECT). Later, she developed severe liver injury that was presumably induced by the propofol used for mECT. Propofol is an intravenous anesthetic agent that reportedly can be used relatively safely in the presence of liver dysfunction. We herein report the first case of propofol-induced liver injury definitively diagnosed based on positive drug lympocyte stimulation testing (DLST).

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / blood
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / diagnosis*
  • Electroconvulsive Therapy* / adverse effects
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Propofol / adverse effects*

Substances

  • Propofol