title: [A clinical study on intra-operative spinal cord monitoring with spinal evoked potentials for scoliosis].
abstract: Spinal cord monitoring with the spinal cord evoked potentials using direct spinal cord stimulation is a safe and reliable method. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of the potential change that is permissible to avoid severe neurological complications. Three hundred and fifty-four patients with spinal disorders were monitored with this method. The peak amplitude of the potential used as an indicator of the spinal cord function was evaluated quantitatively. The amplitude changes of those with neurological complication were compared with those without complication. The results in 135 patients with scoliosis were analyzed. False negative results were obtained in two patients who had only slight paresthesia. In the patients with normal spinal cord function, up to 50% reduction of the amplitude was permissible. Spinal monitoring is also useful in the improvement of operative technique because it can immediately disclose injury to the cord resulting from surgical misconduct.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Chiba University, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Imai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*