Spinal somatosensory evoked potential combined with motor evoked potential in monitoring patients undergoing surgery for cervical spondylosis

Abstract

Objective To explore the value of cortical somatosensory evoked potential(CSEP)combined with myogenic motor evoked potential(MMEP)in monitoring patients undergoing surgery for cervical spndylosis. Methods CSEP and MMEP were simultaneously performed on 35 patients with spinal type cervical spndylosis during spinal surgery. The accuracy of CSEP and MMEP were assessed according to the signal recording at different stages combined with postoperative spinal cord function. ResultsThe success rate was 100% for CSEP and 85.7% for MMEP recording. CSEP reached the warning standards in one patient intraoperatively, warning the surgeons to discontinue the procedure temporarily until the influencing factors were eliminated and the amplitudes of CSEP returned gradually. The wave tape of MMEP disappeared in 2 patients transitorily. The amplitudes of CSEP increased in 28 patients after decompression; CSEP and MMEP had little change in 3 patients. No nerve injury symptoms were worsened in all the patients postoperatively. Conslusions During cervical spinal surgery, CSEP and MMEP can reflect the physiological and pathological conditions of the spinal cord after the interfering factors are excluded. The combined application of CSEP and MMEP improve the monitoring effect and guarantee patient safety. Key words: Somatosensory evoked potential; Motor evoked potential; Cervical spndylosis; Spinal cord monitoring