Comparison of multimodal intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring efficacy in early childhood and school aged children undergoing spinal surgery

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the performance of multimodal intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (MIONM) in children below and over 6 years of age. METHODS: 43 children, diagnosed with spinal pathologies were divided into two cohorts according to their age and enrolled in the study. Those under the age of 6 consisted group A, whereas those between the age of 6 and 11 consisted group B. All patients underwent spinal surgical procedures according to their diagnosis. A standard anesthesia protocol was given to both groups. Baseline somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) and transcranial electrical motor evoked potentials (tcMEPs) were recorded and evaluated at specific time points for each patient. RESULTS: Except for the SSEPs in three cases, tcMEPs and SSEPs were recorded for all patients. There was no false-negative whereas 9 false positive recordings due to physiological conditions that all recovered intraoperatively. In 10 patients, MIOMN recorded more than %50 decrement, in which 8 had the kyphosis component. The tcMEPs fully recovered by the end of the operation except for the patient with post-tuberculosis kyphosis. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean threshold values with regard to transcranial stimulus intensity for the tcMEPs between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Compared to school aged children, both SSEPs, tcMEPs recordings are feasible and MIONM is effective for early childhood patients undergoing spinal surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, Diagnostic Study.