Monitoring spinal surgery for extramedullary tumors and fractures

Meningiomas are the most common intradural extramedullary tumors, followed by nerve sheath tumors that can also grow extradurally. Metastases are the most frequent extradural tumors and most commonly affect the thoracic vertebrae. Spinal fractures with column dislocation and/or instability require surgical fixation. Spine surgery for an extramedullary tumor or fracture usually involves decompression of neural elements and instrumentation for stabilization. These procedures risk spinal cord and nerve root injury. The incidence of nerve root deficits after resection of nerve sheath tumors is particularly high since the tumor grows from the rootlets. Intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring and mapping techniques have been introduced to prevent iatrogenic neurologic deficits. These include motor and sensory evoked potentials, electromyography, compound muscle action potentials, and the bulbocavernosus reflex. The combination of techniques chosen for a particular procedure depends on the surgical level and the character of the lesion.