Rationale

Recording EEGs in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can be difficult due to various reasons. The microEEG® (BioSignal Group) is a small (88gm, 9.4x4.4x3.8cm), portable, wireless FDA-approved device, which digitizes EEG signals close to the electrodes and transmits data wirelessly to a personal computer. This device can be used with standard electrode caps. The goal of this study was to assess the ease and technical quality of the microEEG device to obtain continuous EEG recording in preterms.

Methods

Sixteen babies (24-30 weeks) were recruited at 2 sites as a part of an ongoing study of neonatal apnea. Continuous 8-9 hours of EEG (10-20 system) were obtained using microEEG® with an electrode cap (waveguard™ ANT Neuro) every 2-4 weeks. The microEEG® device transmitted data wirelessly to a laptop at the bedside, and was uploaded to a central server for remote interpretation.

Results

A total of 48 EEG studies were obtained. Recordings began in 30 minutes, and then uploaded rapidly to the server when finished. 9/48 studies were technically limited due to abundant artifacts. The remaining 39 studies were acceptable for clinical review. Background was immature in 6/39 EEGs. Sharp transients were present in 4 EEGs, with seizures recorded in one EEG. One bradycardia event (< 60) was recorded, with no change on EEG.

Conclusion

The microEEG® can potentially provide a practical, accessible, high quality continuous EEG recording in the NICU. The small size and remote reading capability could overcome many obstacles with EEG in the NICU.