Seizures After Cardiac Surgery -- A Study With Continuous EEG Monitoring

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of nonconvulsive seizures after cardiac surgery using an electroencephalogram or EEG, which records brainwaves through the scalp.

Detailed Description
-----------------
Background: Most patients do not have any neurological complications after cardiac surgery, but fewer than 1% may have a seizure (abnormal brain activity), with or without a convulsion. This can be due to a reaction to certain types of drugs or less commonly stroke or inflammation. Some seizures in post-operative and intensive care unit patients do not result in convulsions, but rather the abnormal brain activity simply causes confusion or unresponsiveness. The incidence of this type of nonconvulsiveseizure after cardiac surgery is unknown. Purpose of the study: The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of nonconvulsive seizures after cardiac surgery using an electroencephalogram or EEG, which records brainwaves through the scalp. Design of the study: The investigators target is to enroll 150 patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The investigators are including patients greater than 18 years of age who are admitted to the CSRU immediately after cardiac surgery. Included patients are of normal mentation and are able to give their own consent. The investigators will exclude only those patients for whom technical issues prevent us from recording the EEG.

Official Title
-----------------
Seizures After Cardiac Surgery -- A Prospective Study With Continuous EEG Monitoring

Conditions
-----------------
Non-convulsive Seizures

Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: All adult patients able to give informed consent and undergoing cardiac surgery Exclusion Criteria: Inability to record subhairline EEG data due to technical/mechanical reasons Patients not giving informed consent

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
No

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Continuous EEG Monitoring<br>Immediately after surgery, while still sedated and in the cardiac surgery recovery unit, 9 sticker electrodes applied to the skin just below the hairline, which record brain activity onto a computer. The EEG will be recorded for 24 hours. This brain activity (EEG) will later be interpreted by a neurologist who will be looking for evidence of seizure activity in the brain waves. Other relevant information: age, sex, the nature of other health problems, drugs used, complications and whether or not seizures are found will be stored on our computer for further evaluation. | |

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Frequency of non-convulsive seizures in postoperative cardiac surgery patients | Immediately after surgery, while still sedated and in the cardiac surgery recovery unit, 9 sticker electrodes will be applied to the skin just below the hairline, which record brain activity onto a computer. The EEG will be recorded for 24 hours. This brain activity (EEG) will later be interpreted by a neurologist who will be looking for evidence of seizure activity in the brain waves. Other relevant information: age, sex, the nature of other health problems, drugs used, complications and whether or not seizures are found will be stored on our computer for further evaluation. | Immediate postoperative monitoring with continuous EEG | 

 Terms related to the study
=================
Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
-----------------
Non-convulsive seizures, Cardiac Surgery, Postop, 24 hour EEG Monitoring