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Lumbar radiculopathy after spinal fusion for scoliosis
Author(s) -
Harper C. Michel,
Daube Jasper R.,
Litchy William J.,
Klassen Rudolph A.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.880110416
Subject(s) - medicine , scoliosis , somatosensory evoked potential , lumbar , electromyography , spinal fusion , somatosensory system , anesthesia , surgery , neurological deficit , physical medicine and rehabilitation , psychiatry
In 184 patients with no preoperative neurologic deficit who underwent operation for idiopathic scoliosis, somatosensory evoked potential monitoring was used. Four patients had neurologic deficits postoperatively. Two patients developed mild signs of intraspinal lesions involving upper motor neurons at high lumbar levels that resolved over 3–5 months. These patients and two others developed evidence of unilateral, moderate, lower motor neuron damage that was confirmed on electromyography. No changes in somatosensory evoked potentials occurred in these patients. Lumbar root damage may be difficult to recognize after operation and should be considered in patients with neurologic deficit after scoliosis surgery.