Clonidine administration during intraoperative monitoring for pediatric scoliosis surgery: Effects on central and peripheral motor responses.

Objective: To study the effect of clonidine administrated as a co-analgesic during scoliosis surgery, on the neuromonitoring of spinal motor pathways.

Methods: Using standardized intraoperative monitoring, we compared the time course of peripherally and transcranially electrically evoked motor potentials (TcEMEPs) before and after injection of a single bolus of clonidine in children under total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA). MEP data were obtained from 9 patients and somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) were obtained from 2 patients.