Role of Electroconvulsive Therapy in Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia in Forensic Psychiatry.

Long-term institutionalization of the forensic psychiatry patient population places a psychological burden on patients and family members as well as a financial burden on the health care system at large. Although electroconvulsive therapy is a well-established tool for patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia, it is infrequently used in the forensic setting. This review serves to demonstrate an example of electroconvulsive therapy in combination with clozapine as a means of reducing length of hospitalization in a forensic psychiatric patient. Furthermore, this review will discuss factors limiting the prescribing of electroconvulsive therapy to this patient population including ethical considerations and availability.