Somatosensory evoked potential spinal cord monitoring reduces neurologic deficits after scoliosis surgery: results of a large multicenter survey

Abstract

Neurologic deficits were compared to somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) spinal cord monitoring in a survey of spinal orthopedic surgeons. Experienced SEP spinal cord monitoring teams had fewer than one-half as many neurologic deficits per 100 cases compared to teams with relatively little monitoring experience. Experienced SEP monitoring teams also had fewer neurologic deficits than were seen in previous surveys of this group. Definite neurologic deficits, despite stable SEPs (false negative monitoring), occurred during surgery in only 0.063% of patients. Factors independently associated with fewer neurologic deficits also included the surgeon's years of experience in orthopedic surgery and the use of the wake-up test. Other technical survey results are also presented here. These results confirm the clinical efficacy of experienced SEP spinal cord monitoring for prevention of neurologic deficits during spinal surgery such as for scoliosis.