Ambulatory EEG: Crossing the divide during a pandemic

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Medical Technology

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic necessitated closure of epilepsy monitoring units globally.
• Increased COVID-19 cases drove demand for remote diagnostic alternatives.
• Standard EEG has limitations compared to prolonged monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight Ambulatory Electroencephalography (AEEG) as a viable alternative to inpatient video-EEG monitoring (VEM).
• To discuss the benefits of AEEG in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to mobile health.
• To emphasize AEEG's role in minimizing hospital exposure for epilepsy patients.

Main Methods:

• Technological advancements in AEEG, including miniaturized hardware and wireless transmission.
• Utilizing portable AEEG devices suitable for home use.
• Implementing seizure detection algorithms and cloud-based storage for real-time data access and interpretation.

Main Results:

• AEEG provides prolonged audio-visual video-EEG capability comparable to inpatient VEM.
• Miniaturized, wireless AEEG devices facilitate remote monitoring for patients at home.
• Cloud-based systems enable real-time connectivity for AEEG interpreters.

Conclusions:

• AEEG is a high-yield, effective alternative to inpatient VEM during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Technological progress has made AEEG a practical mobile health solution for epilepsy diagnosis.
• AEEG supports continuous patient care while minimizing risks associated with hospital visits.