Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the value of monitoring somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) in the prevention of ischaemic stroke occurring during surgical exclusion of middle cerebral artery aneurysms.
Methods: SEP monitoring was performed during the surgical exclusion of 131 aneurysms in 122 patients. All SEP variations over 30% were notified to the surgeon and those over 50% were considered as highly significant. If this happened, and in concert with the conduct of the operation, a return to the basal level was systematically sought.
Results: Post-operative ischemic stroke was observed after 15 (11.4%) operations, leading to a permanent neurological deficit in 12 (9.2%). During nine (6.9%) operations there was a highly significant SEP change that persisted, or was only partially reversed, after corrective procedure. Nine of these patients had a post-operative ischaemic stroke. In 25 (19%), operations there was a highly significant SEP change followed by complete recovery. Of these 25 patients, 2 suffered a post-operative ischemic stroke. Following 49 operations (37.4%) with less significant SEP modifications, 4 patients suffered a post-operative stroke (8%). A stroke did not occur in the 48 (36.6%) operations during which there was not a variation in SEP. The strokes were related to temporary clipping in 9 patients to definitive clipping in 3 to sylvian fissure opening in 1 to brain retraction in and to dissection of the aneurysm in 1 (1 case).
Conclusion: Changes in the SEP correlated well with the occurrence of post-operative stroke. This early detection of ischemia directs attention to the need for measures such as withdrawal of temporary clipping or identification of another factor (e.g. release of brain retraction or repositioning of an occlusive clip) so that the risk of post-operative is reduced.