Transcranial Electric Motor Evoked Potential Monitoring During Scoliosis Surgery in Children with Cerebral Palsy and Active Seizure Disorder: is It Feasible and Safe?

Purpose: Use of spinal cord monitoring in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and neuromuscular scoliosis is challenging. The previous reports suggest low success rates in the setting of CP, and it is unclear if transcranial electric motor evoked potentials (TcMEP) monitoring is contraindicated in patients with an active seizure disorder. The purpose of this study was to determine (1) are patients with CP able to be appropriately monitored with TcMEP? and (2) does TcMEP cause an increase in seizure activity?

Methods: This was an institutional review board-approved retrospective cohort study observing 304 patients from 2011 to 2020. Inclusion criteria included all patients with CP undergoing posterior spinal fusion during this time. Intraoperative data were examined for the ability to obtain monitoring and any intraoperative events. Patients were followed for 3 months postoperatively to determine any increase in seizure activity that could have been attributed to the TcMEP monitoring.

Results: Of the 304 patients who were observed, 21% (20.8%) were unable to be monitored due to lacking baseline signals from the extremities. Seventy-seven percent (77.5%) were successfully monitored with TcMEP. For these patients, no increased seizure activity was documented either intra- or postoperatively.

Conclusion: A high percentage of children (77.5%) with CP were able to be successfully monitored with TcMEP during posterior spinal fusion. Furthermore, the concerns about increased seizure activity after TcMEP were not supported by the data from this cohort. Technical details of successful neuromonitoring in these patients are important and included increased stimulation voltage requirements and latency times.

Level Of Evidence: III retrospective comparative study.