Spinal Cord Monitoring in Pediatric Cervical Spine Surgery

The role of sensory and motor, intraoperative, and neurophysiological monitoring of spinal cord physiology at multiple, neural levels has become an established routine. The chapter "Spinal cord monitoring in pediatric cervical spine surgery" is a review of the principles and concepts that need further study in this very specialized area of pediatric cervical spine surgery. This is a discussion of the basic science and clinical application, including practical concerns and protocols. A thorough understanding of the current thinking in this area is germane to surgery of the child’s cervical spine and generalizable to any children’s spinal surgery. The response to alarm criteria is discussed in both a proactive and reactive way. The conclusion is that the principles of neurophysiological monitoring of the spinal cord during orthopedic and neurosurgical procedures are well established and should be followed in the management of disorders of the child’s cervical spine.