Artikel
Nonconvulsive status epilepticus: an uncommon but treatable postoperative complication following intracranial surgery
Der nonkonvulsive Status epilepsticus: eine seltene aber behandelbare postoperative Komplikation nach intrakraniellen Eingriffen
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Veröffentlicht: | 30. Mai 2008 |
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Gliederung
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Objective: Persistent coma following intracranial surgery is a rare complication mostly caused by postoperative haemorrhage. But in some cases the origin of the coma is not so obvious. In such cases a nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) is a possible cause of diminished alertness. This study was performed to elucidate the incidence of NCSE as a cause of postoperative coma.
Methods: In a prospective survey, all patients with postoperative coma or severe psychopathological disorders underwent EEG-examination after exclusion of common complications such as rebleeding, drug delay, electrolyte shift or glucose imbalance.
Results: In a series of 175 scheduled intracranial procedures, four patients with NCSE were found to be the cause of unexplained coma or other severe psychopathological disorders. After initiation of antiepileptic treatment, all patients regained alertness.
Conclusions: NCSE is not as rare as expected. It is easy to diagnose with EEG and represents a treatable cause of a postoperative decline in alertness.