• Jin-Gyu Choi, Sang-Woo Ha, and Byung-Chul Son.
• Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
• Stereotact Funct Neurosurg. 2015 Jan 1; 93 (4): 271-81.

Background And ObjectiveWe investigated the efficacy of combined somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) and electromyography monitoring during paddle lead placement through cervicothoracic laminectomy under general anesthesia in a retrospective review of data from 25 patients.MethodsMuscle motor evoked potentials (MEP) recordings and SSEP monitoring were used for surveillance of the spinal cord. Collision testing of SSEP and threshold amplitudes of compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) in the bilateral upper and lower extremities evoked by electrode contacts of the paddle lead were checked to determine the laterality of the lead in the mediolateral direction.ResultsA significant decrease in amplitudes of muscle MEP in spite of stable SSEP occurred in 2 patients: 1 patient with a retrograde C1-C2 insertion and another patient with an anterograde C4/C5 insertion. Repositioning of leads based on significantly asymmetrical collision testing of SSEP and thresholds of CMAP in bilateral extremities was needed in 6 and 8 patients, respectively. In 22 patients, paresthesia coverage of the painful area was consistently located in the painful side, either unilaterally or bilaterally. There was no episode of revision for suboptimal lead placement.ConclusionsIntraoperative neurophysiological guidance using SSEP and muscle MEP was useful for the safe and accurate placement of paddle leads for cervicothoracic SCS.© 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

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