[Intraoperative monitoring with visual and auditory evoked potentials]

Intraoperative monitoring techniques concerning evoked potentials have been used during operations on the spinal cord as well as in carotid endarterectomy and in aneurysm surgery. The monitoring of early acoustic evoked potentials during surgery of the posterior fossa and the registration of the visually evoked potentials in patients suffering from pituitary adenoma or other space occupying lesions of the sella region seem to provide information about function of nerves and brain stem structures. This paper deals with positive and negative aspects of intraoperative monitoring of visual and acoustic evoked potentials.