CORRELATION OF MOTOR-EVOKED POTENTIALS, SOMATOSENSORY-EVOKED POTENTIALS, AND THE WAKE-UP TEST IN A CASE OF KYPHOSCOLIOSIS

The ability to monitor the descending motor pathways of the spinal cor d during surgery is an important goal in neurophysiologic monitoring o f spinal deformities. This report describes a case of a severe spinal deformity for which instrumentation and reduction carried a significan t risk of neurologic complications. During the procedure, changes in n eurologic status were monitored simultaneously using both SSEPs and tc MMEPs. The reliability of these two complimentary modalities was then verified by concurrent wake-up tests. This case provides documentation of the reliability of tcMMEP responses when an accurate assessment of motor function was necessary.