Classical applications of sensory evoked potentials (EPs) during the intraoperative period and/or intensive care unit stay |
Somatosensory EPs |
1) Invasive spine (arthrodesis) and spinal cord surgery for detection of either medullary or radicular syndrome (combined with motor EPs and/or evoked EMG) |
2) Normothermic thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic surgery for detection of cord ischaemia (compromised vascular supply— radicular anterior Adamkiewicz artery—combined with motor EPs) |
3) Deep or intermediate hypothermia for neurosurgery (cerebral vascular bypass), cardiac, or major vascular surgery (combined with motor EPs) |
4) Carotid endarterectomy (alternative to mapped EEG and QEEG, because less pharmacologically depressible) |
5) Surgical peripheral nerve release (surgery guidance—possibly combined with motor EPs) |
6) Post-anoxic comatose patients (prognosis dimension—outcome prediction) |
7) Hypothermic comatose patients (prognosis dimension—outcome prediction) |
8) Spinal cord post-trauma status (combined with motor EPs and/or evoked EMG) |
Auditory EPs (short or midbrain latencies) |
1) Intra and extracranial surgery of the auditory and/or the facial nerves (combined with facial evoked EMG—specific facial nerve monitoring) |
2) Midbrain and/or spinal cord post-trauma status (combined with motor EPs and/or evoked EMG) |
Auditory EPs (middle or early cortical latencies) |
1) Post-anoxic comatose patients (prognosis dimension—outcome prediction) |
2) Hypothermic comatose patients (prognosis dimension—outcome prediction) |
Auditory EPs (long or late cortical latencies) |
1) Postoperative, post-lesion, or post-trauma cognitive dysfunction |
Visual EPs (cortical latencies) |
1) Optic nerve, hypothalamic, pituitary gland, and diaphragma sellae surgery |
2) Post-anoxic comatose patients (prognosis dimension—outcome prediction) |
3) Hypothermic comatose patients (prognosis dimension—outcome prediction) |