Simple technique for monitoring intraoperative spinal cord function

Interference with normal cord functioning is an important, although uncommon, complication of spinal surgery. Spinal evoked potentials have been advocated as a means of monitoring spinal cord transmission during operative procedures. We have developed a simple technique using electrodes inserted into the interspinal ligaments for monitoring purposes. This has produced stable and reproducible recordings with obvious clinical benefit in the first 50 cases in which it has been used.