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Change in body surface temperature as an ancillary measurement to motor evoked potentials
J H Yang1, S W Suh1, Y-S Park2
1Department of Orthopedics, Scoliosis Research Institute, Korea University Medical College, Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Study Design:
Experimental study.
Objectives:
To study the role of surface temperature as an adjunct to motor evoked potentials (MEPs) in rabbit spinal cord injury (SCI) model.
Setting:
Department of Orthopedics, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Methods:
Rabbits (n =18) were divided into Complete (n = 9) and Incomplete (n = 9) SCI groups. Complete SCI was defined as being non-responsive to a wake-up test with loss of MEPs after transection of spinal cord. Incomplete SCI was defined as being responsive to a wake-up test with significant attenuation (⩾ 80%) of MEPs after impaction on spinal cord. Surface temperature of upper and lower extremities, core temperature and MEPs signals were checked before, during and after SCI for 20 min. A wake-up test was conducted and spinal cord was histologicaly evaluated.
Results:
Experimental conditions between the two groups were statistically similar (P > 0.005 for all values). After SCI, upper extremity temperatures did not change in either group (P > 0.005); however, the surface temperature of the lower extremities in the Complete SCI Group elevated to 1.7 ± 0.5°C in comparison to 0.5 ± 0.1°C in the Incomplete SCI Group (P < 0.001). The scores of wake-up test in the Incomplete SCI Group were significantly different from that of the Complete SCI Group (P < 0.001), while white and gray matter damage was variable on histology.
Conclusions:
Monitoring of changes of body surface temperature of the lower extremities can be potentially used to identify the completeness of SCI in a rabbit model.
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