Transient epileptic foci associated with intracranial hemorrhage in patients with subdural and epidural electrode placement.

We report two cases of transient epileptic foci in humans associated with placement of intracranial electrodes. The abnormalities consisted of restricted areas of active, almost continuous, rhythmic spiking, intermittently evolving into electrographic seizure activity, which resolved spontaneously within 3-4 days. The first occurred after placement of a subdural electrode grid and the second following insertion of epidural peg electrodes. Neuroimaging demonstrated a small subdural hematoma overlying the grid and a focal intraparenchymal hemorrhage underlying the affected epidural electrodes. The insertion of intracranial electrodes may be complicated by the induction of transient epileptic foci unrelated to a patient's typical epileptic generator.