Intraoperative Monitoring of Somatosensory Evoked Potentials in Patients with Cerebral Aneurysm

—Correlation Between Central Conduction Time and Postoperative Neurological Status—

Abstract

Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) were monitored during 55 aneurysm procedures in 49 patients to investigate the relationship between central conduction time (CCT) and neurological status in the immediate postoperative period. Significant CCT prolongation was observed in 15 cases. The postoperative neurological status deteriorated in nine of the 15 cases, compared with three of 40 cases without appreciable CCT changes. This difference was significant at p < 0.05. The CCT prolongation was ascribable to temporary vascular occlusion in half of the cases. Intraoperative SEP monitoring is useful in predicting neurological morbidities in the immediate postoperative period in patients with cerebral aneurysm.