Area-selective stimulus-provoked seizures in post-anoxic coma

We describe the case of a 70-year-old patient in whom hemiconvulsive seizur es occurred during metabolic derangement, multiple stroke and post-anoxic c oma following cardiac arrest. We employed the methods of clinical and EEG evaluation and CT brain scan. We found that hemiconvulsive seizures were provoked following a light tacti le stimulus in the left-trigeminal area and occasionally a strong tapping i n the right-trigeminal area. We conclude that this type of stimulus-provoked seizure is extremely rare a nd could be explained by diffuse and severe brain damage. (C) 2001 BEA Trad ing Ltd.