OBJECTIVE: To identify which combination of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) and somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) is most reliable for postoperative motor deterioration during spinal cord tumor surgery, according to anatomical and pathologic type. METHODS: MEPs and SEPs were monitored in patients who underwent spinal cord tumor surgery between November 2012 and August 2016. Muscle strength was examined in all patients before surgery, within 48 hours postoperatively and 4 weeks later. We analyzed sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of each significant change in SEPs and MEPs. RESULTS: The overall sensitivity and specificity of SEPs or MEPs were 100% and 61.3%, respectively. The intraoperative MEP monitoring alone showed both higher sensitivity (67.9%) and specificity (83.2%) than SEP monitoring alone for postoperative motor deterioration. Two patients with persistent motor deterioration had significant changes only in SEPs. There are no significant differences in reliabilities between anatomical types, except with hemangioma, where SEPs were more specific than MEPs for postoperative motor deterioration. Both overall positive and negative predictive values of MEPs were higher than the predictive values of SEPs. However, the positive predictive value was higher by the dual monitoring of MEPs and SEPs, compared to MEPs alone. CONCLUSION: For spinal cord tumor surgery, combined MEP and SEP monitoring showed the highest sensitivity for the postoperative motor deterioration. Although MEPs are more specific than SEPs in most types of spinal cord tumor surgery, SEPs should still be monitored, especially in hemangioma surgery.
Evoked Potentials, Motor ; Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory* ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring* ; Muscle Strength ; Postoperative Complications ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spinal Cord Neoplasms* ; Spinal Cord*

A 59-year-old woman was scheduled to undergo a robot-assisted distal gastrectomy under general anesthesia. During the operation, the vital signs were maintained in normal range. After 7 hours of surgery, the pulse oxymeter graph became flat and the end tidal CO2 concentration suddenly decreased. Palpation of the carotid artery revealed no heart beat but the EKG continued to show sinus rhythm. Pulseless electrical activity (PEA) was diagnosed. An advanced cardiopulmonary life support protocol for PEA was immediately initiated, which included chest compressions and doses of IV cardiovascular drugs. However, in spite of continuous CPR, the heart wasn't recovered from the arrest. We experienced cardiac arrest for pulseless electrical activity during robot-assisted distal gastrectomy.
Anesthesia, General ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Cardiovascular Agents ; Carotid Arteries ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Gastrectomy ; Heart ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Hypovolemia ; Middle Aged ; Palpation ; Peas ; Reference Values ; Thorax ; Vital Signs

BACKGROUND: Spinal anesthesia causes hypotension and bradycardia due to sympathetic nerve block and it is difficult to predict the level of sensory block and the duration of blockade. Recent studies have reported that intravenous phenylephrine can reduce the rostral spread of spinal anesthesia in pregnant women. We think a phenylephrine infusion will be useful for maintaining the baseline blood pressure by reducing the rostral spread of spinal anesthesia during the elective surgery of non-obstetric patients. METHODS: Sixty patients who were undergoing urologic surgery were randomized into two groups: Group C (the control group without phenylephrine) and Group P (with the addition of phenylephrine). After a bolus infusion of 50 microg phenylephrine following the spinal injection, phenylephrine was continuously infused at the rate of 200 microg/hr. We compared the dermatomal spreads of spinal anesthesia, the hemodynamic parameters (blood pressure, heart rate) and the incidences of hypotension between the two groups. RESULTS: At 20 minutes, the level of the upper dermatome blocked against cold sensation was a median of T8 (interquartile range: T8-T10) for the phenylephrine group, as compared with T4 (interquartile range: T4-T6) for the control group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous phenylephrine can decrease the rostral spread of spinal anesthesia during urologic surgery.
Anesthesia, Spinal ; Autonomic Nerve Block ; Blood Pressure ; Bradycardia ; Cold Temperature ; Female ; Heart ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypotension ; Incidence ; Injections, Spinal ; Phenylephrine ; Pregnant Women ; Sensation

BACKGROUND: Mirror-image allodynia is a mysterious phenomenon that occurs in association with many clinical pain syndromes including complex regional pain syndromes (CRPS). Underlying mechanisms for the development of such pain are still a matter of investigation. Several studies suggest that activation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor is essential for central sensitization as a base for persistent pain. The aim is to assess whether alteration of NMDA receptor expression correlates with the contralateral allodynia in the chronic post-ischemia pain (CPIP) model rats representing CRPS-Type I. METHODS: Application of a tight-fitting tourniquet for a period of 3 hours before reperfusion produced CPIP in male Sprague-Dawley rats. The mechanical paw withdrawal thresholds to von Frey stimuli (using a dynamic plantar aesthesiometer) were measured as pain indicators in ipsilateral and contralateral hindpaws. Phosphorylation of the NMDA receptor 1 subunit (pNR1), assessed with Western blot, was measured in the contralateral L4-6 spinal cord. RESULTS: Ipsilateral and contralateral mechanical allodynia is present at 4 hours after reperfusion, peaked at 3 days, and continued for 7 days after reperfusion. The relative density of pNR1 of CPIP rats significantly decreased in the contralateral L4-6 spinal cord compared to baseline value (P < 0.05). There was significant correlation between paw withdrawal threshold and the relative density of pNR1 (ipsilateral; R2 = 0.75, P < 0.01, contralateral; R2 = 0.60, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that pNR1 is correlated to the contralateral mechanical allodynia in CPIP rats.
Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Central Nervous System Sensitization ; Complex Regional Pain Syndromes ; Humans ; Hyperalgesia ; Inositol Phosphates ; Male ; N-Methylaspartate ; Phosphorylation ; Prostaglandins E ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion ; Specific Gravity ; Spinal Cord ; Tourniquets