Early Continuous Video-EEG in Acute Near-Total Intrauterine Asphyxia

The evolution of electroencephalographic changes after acute hypoxic-ischemic injury is poorly understood, as a clear time of insult is often absent and continuous electroencephalographic monitoring in the first 3 days after such injury has not been previously reported. Infants who suffer sudden profound asphyxia, often termed "acute near-total intrauterine asphyxia", have evidence of damage to the deep gray matter. In these infants it is possible to time the onset and duration of cerebral ischemia. This report describes early continuous video-electroencephalography from 3 hours after birth in an infant with the characteristic clinical and radiologic features of acute near-total intrauterine asphyxia.