Postoperative neurological deficits may occur despite unchanged intraoperative somatosensory evoked potentials

We describe 6 patients who demonstrated postoperative neurological deficits despite unchanged somatosensory evoked potentials during intraoperative monitoring. Although there is both experimental and clinical evidence that somatosensory evoked potentials are sensitive to some types of intraoperative mishap, the technique should be empolyed with an awareness of its possible limitations.

[1]  A. Shetter,et al.  Postoperative paraplegia with preserved intraoperative somatosensory evoked potentials. Case report. , 1985, Journal of neurosurgery.

[2]  J. Piatt,et al.  Limitations of brain stem auditory evoked potentials for intraoperative monitoring during a posterior fossa operation: case report and technical note. , 1985, Neurosurgery.

[3]  M R Nuwer,et al.  Intraoperative evoked potential monitoring of the spinal cord: enhanced stability of cortical recordings. , 1984, Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology.

[4]  Ronald P. Lesser,et al.  Subcortical somatosensory evoked potentials to median nerve stimulation. , 1983, Brain : a journal of neurology.

[5]  R. Lesser,et al.  Brain stem auditory evoked potentials in posterior circulation surgery. , 1983, Neurosurgery.

[6]  R. Ojemann,et al.  Conducted somatosensory evoked potentials during spinal surgery. Part 2: clinical applications. , 1982, Journal of neurosurgery.

[7]  G. Klem,et al.  Simple technique for monitoring intraoperative spinal cord function. , 1981, Neurosurgery.

[8]  G. Klem,et al.  Early somatosensory potentials evoked by median nerve stimulation , 1981, Neurology.

[9]  R. N. Hensinger,et al.  Spinal Deformity in Idiopathic Juvenile Osteoporosis , 1981, Spine.

[10]  P. Raudzens INTRAOPERATIVE MONITORING OF EVOKED POTENTIALS , 1980, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.

[11]  A. Starr,et al.  Assessment of sensory function in the operating room utilizing cerebral evoked potentials: a study of fifty-six surgically anesthetized patients. , 1981, Clinical neurosurgery.

[12]  J. Schramm,et al.  Experimental spinal cord injury produced by slow, graded compression. Alterations of cortical and spinal evoked potentials. , 1979, Journal of neurosurgery.