Brain Monitoring

EEG monitoring in critical care.
Case: herpes encephalitis

Pirjo Säynäjäkangas MD, PhD, Department of Anesthesiology
Raija Remes RN, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology
Oulu University Hospital
Oulu, Finland

The whole article available in PDF: 430 KB

A previously healthy, 37-year old man had his first epileptic seizure one afternoon after having returned home from work. For a couple of hours, he had experienced cramps and jerking in his right buttock and thigh. Then, he had initial epileptiformic symptoms, contractions of the right leg muscles. Thereafter, he became unconscious, and a generalized epileptic seizure developed. When admitted to the hospital, he was pale and confused, but soon became oriented. At that time, in the neurological examination jerking of the right leg muscles could still be appreciated. Based on his history, immediate transport to the University Hospital was deemed necessary.

He was first admitted to the neurological ward. The CT scan was normal, and there were no signs of infection. Cerebral infarction was suspected and anticoagulant therapy was started. In the EEG recording, however, PLED-like activity was detected at the central region, both during states of alertness and drowsiness.

Last updated: 1 June 2001Created
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