Somatosensory evoked potentials during Harrington instrumentation for scoliosis.

Abstract

The somatosensory evoked potential can be obtained in the anesthetized patient during corrective surgery on the spine. The techniques of anesthesia and somatosensory evoked potential recordings described herein were utilized in fifty-five patients during surgical correction of scoliosis with Harrington instrumentation and spine fusion. No detectable complications were encountered and no neurological morbidity ensued in our series. This method may prove to be of significant value when potential injury to the spinal cord may be encountered during correction of spinal deformities.