SOMATOSENSORY-EVOKED POTENTIAL MONITORING DURING SPINAL SURGERY

Citation
Mt. Stechison et al., SOMATOSENSORY-EVOKED POTENTIAL MONITORING DURING SPINAL SURGERY, Acta neurochirurgica, 135(1-2), 1995, pp. 56-61
Citations number
20
Categorie Soggetti
Surgery,Neurosciences
Journal title
ISSN journal
00016268
Volume
135
Issue
1-2
Year of publication
1995
Pages
56 - 61
Database
ISI
SICI code
0001-6268(1995)135:1-2<56:SPMDSS>2.0.ZU;2-4
Abstract
Somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) have been used to help minimiz e neurologic morbidity during spinal surgery. While this is a sensory test it has been used as an inference of motor function. The failure t o always achieve the latter goal has resulted in some pessimism regard ing the value of this test. In this series of 161 operations in 150 pa tients, it was demonstrated that SSEPs were recordable under anesthesi a in 87% of patients. Of these patients, 12% had their spinal surgery interrupted due to significant neurophysiologic changes; of these pati ents, 18% had new neurologic deficits postoperatively. There were no c ases with new neurologic deficits who had no changes in their SSEPs. I t was concluded that SSEP monitoring may be helpful in identifying pot entially neurologically threatening surgical maneuvers in a significan t number of patients.