What is invasive video EEG monitoring?
Invasive monitoring is performed in candidates for epilepsy surgery when video-surface EEG does not provide enough information about the location of the seizure focus. This might happen when the seizure focus is deep within the brain and a recordable EEG seizure discharge is not present at the scalp. In invasive monitoring, electrodes are placed on the brain surface or within various brain regions to record these small signals. Strips or patches of thin metal electrodes are placed on the surface of the brain in a surgical operation. Depth electrodes might be implanted within the brain substance to record from deep brain structures. Implanting electrodes is a neurosurgical procedure and informed consent is obtained from each patient before surgery. These procedures carry some risk. However, invasive monitoring might provide the information needed for performing curative epilepsy surgery in patients with disabling seizures.
