Can seizures can be beneficial?
I am not aware of any evidence that seizures improve patients but it IS a sign of activity and therefore they may be a sign of recovery. Note that seizures may result from the withdrawal of drugs e.g. baclofen Ref Barker I, Grant IS. Convulsions after abrupt withdrawal of baclofen. Lancet 1982;ii:556-7. He also asked if when I recommended in my post that oxygen should be given post seizure if I meant be under hyperbaric conditions. Oxygen given immediately at high flow (i.e. as close to 100% as possible) at normal atmospheric pressure ( atm abs) will probably be enough to relieve the hypoxia post seizure. The key is immediate administration as lactic acid appears quickly. Ref Miller SP, Weiss J, Barnwell A, et al. Seizure-associated brain injury in term newborns with perinatal asphyxia. Neurology 2002;58:542-8. Seizures and hypoxia open the blood-brain barrier and this will if unchecked lead to edema and inevitably oxygen transport limitation.
