Usefulness of Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring in Spinal Tumor Surgeries
Author Information
Author(s): Lidia Cabañes-Martínez, Olga Fedirchyk-Tymchuk, Laura López Viñas, Federico Abreu-Calderón, Rodrigo Carrasco Moro, Marta Del Álamo, Ignacio Regidor, Misao Nishikawa
Primary Institution: Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal
Hypothesis
This study evaluates the clinical outcome after surgeries for intradural spinal tumors in relation to the use of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM).
Conclusion
Implementing IONM is important for early recognition of neurological damage, improving postoperative functional outcomes, and decreasing neurological complications.
Supporting Evidence
- Monitored patients showed a significant improvement in the Prolo scale scores compared to non-monitored patients.
- The rate of neurological deficits was lower in monitored patients (8.3%) compared to non-monitored patients (14.5%).
- IONM helped predict postoperative deficits in monitored patients.
- Statistical analysis indicated significant differences in clinical outcomes between the two groups.
Takeaway
Using special monitoring during spinal tumor surgeries helps doctors avoid hurting the nerves, which makes patients feel better after surgery.
Methodology
This is an observational, descriptive, and retrospective study comparing two groups of patients based on the presence or absence of IONM during surgery.
Potential Biases
The decision to use IONM was based on the neurosurgeons' personal criteria, which may introduce bias.
Limitations
The study could not conduct a randomized controlled trial due to ethical concerns, relying instead on retrospective data.
Participant Demographics
Patients were adults (over 18 years) with primary intradural spinal tumors, excluding those with spinal metastases.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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