Recording EEG in the Operating Room
Intra-operative electrocorticography (iECoG) is a neurophysiologic monitoring technique performed during brain surgery in which electrodes are placed directly on the exposed cerebral cortex to record brain electrical activity in real time. The predominant use of iECoG in our practice is during brain tumor surgery. ECoG becomes necessary when the surgeon electrically stimulates the exposed cortex, to assess whether stimulation sets off a seizure which can confound the interpretation of electrical stimulation. Other uses of iECoG in our practice include mapping of intrinsic epileptic activity in patients who are undergoing brain surgery for epilepsy.