Corticospinal Tract Integrity Research Articles

Embolization of Intramedullary Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation Fed by the Anterior Spinal Artery with Monitoring of the Corticospinal Motor Evoked Potential

Intramedullary spina AVMs fed by the anterior spinal artery cannot be embolized without risking unacceptable motor deficits, since the feeding arteries may supply the corticospinal tract (CST). An 8-year-old boy underwent successful embolization of such an AVM under general anesthesia using intermittent infusion of embolic material with monitoring of the CST integrity with the corticospinal motor evoked potential (MEP). This case illustrates the value of corticospinal MEP monitoring during therapeutic procedures under general anesthesia which risk interrupting the blood supply to the CST.