A seizure is an abnormal discharge of electrical activity in the brain that can lead to a change in behavior or perception. There are a variety of seizure types and innumerable causes for seizures.

For more information, please refer to:
www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/types_seizures.html

The likelihood for seizure activity is much higher in neurosurgical patients compared to the general population, mainly because neurosurgical patients tend to have structural abnormalities of the brain that predispose to seizures, including brain tumors, subdural hematomas, subarachnoid hemorrhages, cerebral contusions, gliosis (or scar tissue), edema (swelling), etc. Of note, patients with these conditions can frequently have elevated intracranial pressure (ICP), and a seizure in the setting of elevated intracranial pressure can be life threatening. For these reasons, it is critical to prevent, detect, and treat seizures in this patient population.

Neurosurgical patients are frequently placed on anti-seizure medications, the two most commonly used in the Neurosurgery ICU being Phenytoin (Dilantin) and Levetiracetam (Keppra).

For more information on these and other medications, please visit:
www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/seizure_medicines.html