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

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 "nonconvulsive"seizure 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.