Electrophysiologic monitoring in neurointensive care

Cumulative evidence of potential benefits of electroencephalography (EEG) and evoked potentials in the management of patients with acute cerebral damage has been confirmed. Continuous EEG monitoring is the best method for detecting nonconvulsive seizures and is strongly recommended for the treatment of status epilepticus. Continuously displayed, validated quantitative EEG may facilitate early detection of secondary cerebral insults and may play a decision-making role in the management of patients with head injury, stroke, or subarachnoid hemorrhage. Long-latency auditory evoked potentials and cognitive components constitute a new field of interest for the progress of comatose patients. Motor evoked potentials may become clinically important both in acutely injured and elective postoperative patients. In the neurointensive care units adequate techniques can be selected to answer targeted clinical questions. The efficacy can be improved by implementing educational projects based on ad hoc training of nurses and neurointensive care specialists.