[Loss of brain stem auditory evoked potential waves I and II during controlled hypotension]

For surgical removal of a malignant choroid melanoma, it is necessary to reduce systolic blood pressure to around 50-60 mmHg in order to prevent choroidal haemorrhages. However, blood pressure reduction is associated with the risk of cerebral ischaemia. We report a patient with a malignant choroid melanoma in whom waves I and II of the brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) disappeared during surgery under controlled arterial hypotension and hypothermia (31.1 degrees C). The waves could be recorded again immediately after the mean arterial pressure was increased from 48 to 77 mmHg. The oesophageal temperature had dropped by 0.3 degrees C at this time. The 2-channel electroencephalogram (EEG) showed no irregularities during this time period. A bilateral, reversible, apparently blood-pressure-dependent loss of waves I and II during arterial hypotension despite a normal EEG has to our knowledge not been previously described in the literature. The isolated loss of waves I and II with maintenance of waves III, IV, and V is unusual. The literature contains reports of acoustic neurinoma patients in whom only wave V could be recorded. This is regarded as an indication of continued impulse conduction despite the loss of waves I to IV. Others have observed a patient with temporary and reversible loss of BAEP wave I due to vasospasm of the internal auditory artery that apparently occurred during or shortly after manipulation of the internal auditory meatus. Assuming anatomic peculiarities in the blood supply to the generators of the BAEP waves, a stenosis of the basilar artery could be considered as the cause of the bilateral reversible loss of waves I and II. Another potential source could be induced hypothermia, but this does not seem very likely because the patient's temperature was 0.3 degrees C lower at the return of the waves than at their loss.