The description of the treatment of a patient with lethal catatonia illustrates the value of the combination of electroconvulsive therapy with dantrolene sodium, but also the limitations of this treatment. In addition to this combination, corticosteroids given for other somatic reasons, biperidene given for hypertonia and clonazepam given for hypertonia and convulsionlike symptoms, also seem to have had a role in the successful treatment of this patient.