Real-Time Continuous Intraoperative Electromyographic and Somatosensory Evoked Potential Recordings in Spinal Surgery: Correlation of Clinical and Electrophysiologic Findings in a Prospective, Consecutive Series of 213 Cases

Abstract

Intraoperative electromyographic activation has a high sensitivity for the detection of a newpostoperative neurologic deficit but a low specificity. In contrast, somatosensory-evoked potentials have low sensitivity but high specificity. Combined intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring with electromyography and somatosensory-evoked potentials is helpful for predicting and possibly preventing neurologic injury during thoracolumbar spine surgery.