Medical & biological engineering & computing
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Med Biol Eng Comput · Jan 2004
Improved neuromonitoring during spinal surgery using double-train transcranial electrical stimulation.
Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) evoked by transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) have become an important technique for monitoring spinal cord function intra-operatively, but can fail in some patients. A new technique of double-train stimulation is described. A multipulse transcranial electrical stimulus is preceded by a preconditioning pulse train that leads to larger MEP responses. ⋯ It was concluded that double-train TES stimulation can markedly facilitate responses to a single stimulus train (STS). The facilitation appears to be most effective when the responses to STS would otherwise be small or absent. This preconditioning stimulation technique is therefore useful when an STS leads to responses that are too small for effective monitoring.