Utility of EEG in neurological emergencies and critical care

Abstract

EEG is useful for evaluation of pathophysiology and prognostication of neurocritically ill patients, as it provides non-invasive, real-time monitoring of cerebral function. There have been recently a lot of advances in research on critical care EEG according to the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society’s Standardized Critical Care EEG Terminology. Based on the latest knowledge, this review discusses clinical utilization of EEG in neurocritically ill patients, including critical care continuous EEG monitoring, and key points of interpretation of critical care EEG, classifying main purposes into three points: detection of electrographic and electroclinical seizures, consideration of special encephalopathies, and evaluation and prognostication of cerebral function. Neurologists should have fundamental ability to read and interpret critical care EEG and support treating physicians in terms of therapeutic strategy.