Abstract
Motor Evoked Potentials (MEPs) allow for real-time monitoring of the corticospinal tracts during spine surgery. MEPs can be difficult to obtain in patients with cervicothoracic myelopathy. We describe 5 myelopathic patients undergoing spine surgery with insufficient MEPs on a standard propofol-based anesthetic. Conversion to high-dose ketamine (20 mcg/kg/min) with other minimally suppressive agents resulted in signal enhancement in a majority (36 of 63) of muscle groups with adequate anesthesia and minimal adverse effects, although with considerable variability in the durability of this effect. High-dose ketamine appears to be a safe and viable option to attempt to augment poor baseline MEP signals.
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