[Ictal electroencephalographic recordings of patients with seizure]

We analyzed the ictal electroencephalographies (EEGs) in 75 seizures of 73 patients. Eighty percent of the patients were below the age of 20. The seizures consisted of 35 generalized seizures, 24 partial seizures and 16 pseudoseizures. The ictal EEG of true seizures showed changes with a spike in 23 cases, and change without spike (eg. rhythmic activity, desynchronization) in 32 cases. Four ictal records could not be evaluated due to artifacts. Because half of the patients with pseudoseizures also had epilepsy, their ictal EEG examinations were very useful. The ictal EEG examination could be performed successfully on 96% of the patients with a seizure frequency of more than six a day, 52% of them with one to five seizures a day and eleven percent of them with less than one seizure a day. Seventy-five percent of ictal EEG recordings were performed when the patient was awake. The cassette of electrodes, originally made in our department, was very useful in recording the ictal EEG of children when they were awake.