Intraoperative monitoring of motor-evoked potentials in children undergoing spinal surgery.

Study Design: Clinical case series.

Objective: To study the combined use of modifications of stimulation methods and adjustments of anesthetic regimens on the reliability of motor-evoked potential (MEP) monitoring in a large group of children undergoing spinal surgery.

Summary Of Background Data: Monitoring of MEPs is advocated during spinal surgery, but systematic data from children are sparse.

Improvement of motor-evoked potentials by ketamine and spatial facilitation during spinal surgery in a young child.

Monitoring motor evoked potentials is desirable during spine surgery but may be difficult to obtain in small children. In addition, the recording of reliable signals is often hampered by the presence of various anesthetics. We report the case of a young child whose motor evoked potentials were successfully monitored using a ketamine-based anesthesia and a newly introduced stimulation technique consisting of combined spatial and temporal facilitation.