Repeating video/EEG monitoring: why and with what results?
Prolonged video/EEG monitoring is the main activity of referral tertiary epilepsy centers. Occasionally, monitoring is repeated in the same patient, but this subgroup has not been specifically studied. The purpose of this study was to analyze repeated video/EEG monitoring. We reviewed all sessions of inpatient video/EEG monitoring performed over 3 years (2005-2008), and selected the ones that were repeated in the same patient. A total of 1063 video/EEG monitoring sessions were performed. Of these, 43 (4.0%) were "redos." The most common indication for repeat video/EEG monitoring was evidence of focal epilepsy with no recorded seizures, followed by normal interictal EEG with no recorded episodes. The second session answered the question in 35 (81%) cases, whereas the question remained unanswered in 8 (19%). The repeated session was useful in 35 (81%) cases.
Muniz
Juan
J
Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, University of South Florida and Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA. juanchi_mg@yahoo.com
Benbadis
Selim R
SR
D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014743:Videotape Recording / Q000379:methods*