Evoked Potentials as a Complementary Tool for Tract-Level Functional Assessment in Postoperative Brown-Séquard
Yong Jun Lee1,2, Eun Ji Lee1,2, Seong Min Choi1,2
1Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea.
Summary
Brown-Séquard syndrome (BSS) can occur after cervical spine surgery. This case report details a patient who developed BSS following endoscopic C5 laminotomy, emphasizing evoked potential measurements for diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Spinal Cord Medicine
Background:
- Brown-Séquard syndrome (BSS) is a rare neurological condition resulting from unilateral spinal cord injury.
- While commonly linked to trauma, BSS has been increasingly reported after spinal cord surgery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a case of acute Brown-Séquard syndrome following minimally invasive cervical spine surgery.
- To highlight the diagnostic utility of evoked potentials in tract-specific functional assessment.
Main Methods:
- Case report of a 53-year-old woman.
- Postoperative cervical T2-weighted MRI.
- Motor and somatosensory evoked potential measurements.
Main Results:
- The patient developed Brown-Séquard syndrome with right-sided motor weakness and sensory impairment after C5 laminotomy.
- MRI revealed a hyperintense lesion at C3-C4 and C4-C5.
- Evoked potentials showed tract-specific abnormalities in the corticospinal and dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathways.
Conclusions:
- Minimally invasive cervical spine surgery carries a risk of severe neurological complications like BSS.
- Evoked potential measurements are valuable for assessing tract-specific function and monitoring recovery in BSS cases.
