Intraoperative Seizure Under General Anesthesia Not Detected by EEG: A Case Report

Intraoperative seizures under general anesthesia are infrequent. However, seizure activity under general anesthesia confirmed by contemporaneous EEG has been reported. We describe the case of a 39-year-old female undergoing right frontal brain tumor resection who experienced an intraoperative seizure. Intraoperative neuromonitoring was utilized and included four channels of EEG, somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP), and transcranial motor evoked potentials (MEP). During this operation, characteristic motor manifestations of a seizure occurred. However, the EEG did not demonstrate seizure activity due to limitations in EEG lead placement. Post-operatively in the ICU, motor manifestations of seizure activity continued, and subsequent EEG recordings demonstrated classic seizure activity. Due to the previous hemicraniectomy, corkscrew EEG electrodes were not placed over the right skull defect, thereby failing to detect the intraoperative seizure. Anesthesiologists should be aware that limitations with EEG electrode placement can fail to detect intraoperative seizures, and treatment to extinguish the seizure should proceed in an emergent fashion.