Prior to electroconvulsive therapy, which item should be removed from the patient?

Prior to electroconvulsive therapy, which item should be removed from the patient?

• A. Dentures and contact lenses.
• B. Hearing aid.
• C. Glasses.
• D. Jewelry.

Answer: (A)

The safety goal here is to prevent any object in the mouth or eyes from causing injury or airway problems during the seizure and anesthesia of electroconvulsive therapy. Dentures can become loose or break under the bite block and seizure forces, creating a choking or aspiration risk and dental trauma. Contact lenses, if present, can shift or be lost and may cause corneal irritation or injury once the patient is under anesthesia and unable to blink normally. Removing these prosthetics reduces the chance of real harm or complications when the patient cannot protect their airway or eyes. Hearing aids, glasses, and jewelry are also usually removed for safety, but dentures and contact lenses pose the most direct risk in this scenario.

The safety goal here is to prevent any object in the mouth or eyes from causing injury or airway problems during the seizure and anesthesia of electroconvulsive therapy. Dentures can become loose or break under the bite block and seizure forces, creating a choking or aspiration risk and dental trauma. Contact lenses, if present, can shift or be lost and may cause corneal irritation or injury once the patient is under anesthesia and unable to blink normally. Removing these prosthetics reduces the chance of real harm or complications when the patient cannot protect their airway or eyes. Hearing aids, glasses, and jewelry are also usually removed for safety, but dentures and contact lenses pose the most direct risk in this scenario.