Posttraumatic seizures: consensus and controversies.

Abstract

Seizures after traumatic brain injury may cause acute deterioration in level of consciousness, signal the presence of significant intracranial pathology, herald potentially lethal status epilepticus and carry some risk for the development of a chronic disorder. Specific implications of immediate, early and late seizures are different and vary across age groups. While there is a consensus to manage status epilepticus aggressively, and some agreement to treat a seizure once it has begun, no such unanimity exists about management of patients who have one or more seizures after injury. This article identifies controversies about seizures that occur after traumatic brain injury in paediatric and adult populations. It concludes with a summary of research imperatives for the future.