Intraoperative somatosensory evoked potential monitoring in pediatrics.
In the last decade, experience with intraoperative somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) monitoring has been reported in a wide variety of surgical procedures, mostly in adult patients. Reported experience has been limited in children. Children can present a number of unique problems that must be recognized and for which techniques must be adapted. This article presents the intraoperative SSEP experience at the Children's Hospital in Boston from 1989 to 1991. The technical difficulties we have encountered commonly in young children are discussed, along with suggestions in technical adjustments. As in adults, we have found intraoperative monitoring helpful in assessing physiological integrity of the spinal cord in children.
Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
S L
SL
Helmers
J E
JE
Hall
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008297:Male; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000150:complications; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*