title: Evoked potential monitoring identifies possible neurological injury during positioning for craniotomy.
abstract: Somatosensory-evoked potential (SSEP) monitoring is commonly used to detect changes in nerve conduction and prevent impending nerve injury. We present a case series of two patients who had SSEP monitoring for their surgical craniotomy procedure, and who, upon positioning supine with their head tilted 30 degrees-45 degrees, developed unilateral upper extremity SSEP changes. These SSEP changes were reversed when the patients were repositioned. These cases indicate the clinical usefulness of monitoring SSEPs while positioning the patient and adjusting position accordingly to prevent injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Columbia University, New York City, NY 10032, USA. zh2114@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Zirka H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Anastasian
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ramnath
authors.forename: Ricardo J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Komotar
authors.forename: Jeffrey N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Bruce
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Sisti
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.forename: Ronald G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Emerson
authors.forename: Eric J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Heyer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000379:methods; D003399:Craniotomy / Q000379:methods*; D004566:Electrodes; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative / Q000379:methods; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
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