ABSTRACT

Objectives:

We evaluated the findings and implications of video-EEG monitoring in epileptic adult patients. Patients and Methods: A total of 196 patients (102 females, 94 males; mean age 27 years; range 17 to 67 years) underwent video-EEG monitoring for a mean of four days (range 2 to 8 days) for refractory epileptic seizures or attacks of uncertain origin. Evaluations were made with regard to seizure freq u e n c y, number of recorded seizures, ictal and interictal EEG findings, clinical and electroencephalographic diagnosis, antiepileptic drugs, and surgery.

Results:

Temporal lobe epilepsy was diagnosed in 71 patients (36.2%), extratemporal lobe epilepsy in 29 patients (14.8%), restleş legs syndrome in two patients (1%), multifocal epilepsy in 13 patients (6%), primary generalized epilepsy in eight patients (4. 1%), and pseudoseizures in 29 patients (14.8%). Invasive monitoring was performed in 10 patients, with subdural strip (n=9) and grid (n=1) electrodes. Anterior temporal lobectomy was performed in 36 patients, of whom 33 patients (91.7%) were seizure-free during a mean follow-up of 12 months (range 0 to 33 months). Seizures decreased in two patients, and maintained in one patient.

Conclusion:

Prolonged video-EEG monitoring is succeşful in determining pseudoseizures and in the evaluation of patients who are candidates for epilepsy surgery. Key Words: Electroencephalography/methods; epilepsy/ diagnosis/etiology/surgery; monitoring, physiologic/instrumentation; video recording.