STIMULUS-SENSITIVE SEIZURES IN POSTANOXIC COMA

Purpose: To describe four patients with stimulus-sensitive seizures an d myoclonus following severe hypoxic-ischemic injury. Methods: In 22 m onths, four adult patients with myoclonus, generalized tonic-clonic, a nd clonic seizures following tactile stimulation were identified. EEG and hospital records were reviewed. Results: EEGs showed bursts of gen eralized spike and polyspike activity following tactile stimulation as sociated with the clinical seizures. No cerebral activity was present between the epileptiform bursts. At times, prolonged periods of suppre ssion were recorded. All patients failed to respond to antiepileptic d rugs and died. Conclusions: Stimulus-sensitive seizures and myoclonus following anoxia are associated with poor clinical outcome. The presen ce of seizures and myoclonus in conjunction with epileptiform discharg es on EEG confirms that post-anoxic myoclonus is an epileptic state.