Update on neuromonitoring procedures applied during surgery of the spine – observational study

INTRODUCTION: Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) are currently considered as a more useful method for neurophysiological intraoperative monitoring than somatosensory evoked potentials in cases of surgery applied to patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. The non-invasive approach is preferred to modify MEP recordings, criticizing, in many cases, the fundamentalism for neurophysiological monitoring based only on needle recordings. The aim of the review is to provide our own experience and practical guidelines with reference to neuromonitoring innovations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Recordings of MEPs with surface electrodes instead of needle electrodes including nerve instead of muscle combinations during neurophysiological monitoring associated with surgical interventions to the spine have become more relevant for pediatric purposes, avoiding the anesthesiology-related influences. Observations on 280 patients with Lenke A–C types of spine curvature are presented before and after the surgical correction. RESULTS: The MEPs recorded from nerves do not undergo fluctuations at different stages of scoliosis corrections and the anesthesia effect more than MEPs recorded from muscles. The use of non-invasive surface electrodes during neuromonitoring for MEP recordings shortens the total time of the surgical procedure without diminishing the precision of the neural transmission evaluation. The quality of MEP recordings during intraoperative neuromonitoring from muscles can be significantly influenced by the depth of anesthesia or administration of muscle relaxants but not those recorded from nerves. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed definition of “real-time” neuromonitoring comprises the immediate warning from a neurophysiologist about the changes in a patient’s neurological status during scoliosis surgery (especially during pedicle screws’ implantation, corrective rods’ implantation, correction, distraction and derotation of the spine curvature) exactly during the successive steps of corrective procedures. This is possible due to the simultaneous observation of MEP recordings and a camera image of the surgical field. This procedure clearly increases safety and limits financial claims resulting from possible complications.