[Evaluation of the functional status of the CNS using evoked potentials and EEG]

The authors present an account on hitherto little used electrophysiological methods for the evaluation of the functional state of the brain and on the possibility to use the results of these examinations for prognostic purposes in therapeutic care of patients with impaired consciousness. They recommend the use of a mobile technique capable to ensure EEG monitoring, examination of the basic modalities of evoked potentials (visual, auditory and somatosensory) at the bedside. The practical results of these examinations are demonstrated on case-histories of patients treated at intensive care units for neonates. The asset is the relatively reliable evaluation of the actual condition of the brain and the possibility to assess the most probable development of the patient's clinical condition.