What is the effect of severe hypothermia on EP latencies?

Severe hypothermia significantly affects the conduction velocity of neural pathways, which in turn influences evoked potential (EP) latencies. When the body temperature drops, the metabolic processes within nerve cells slow down, leading to a decrease in nerve conduction velocity. As a result, the time it takes for an evoked potential to travel through the neural pathways and reach the recording electrodes increases. This prolongation manifests as increased latencies in the recorded evoked potentials.

Understanding this effect is crucial for neurophysiologic intraoperative monitoring, as delayed latencies due to hypothermia could be misinterpreted as indicative of neural damage or dysfunction when, in fact, the observed changes are solely a result of altered physiological conditions. It is essential for clinicians and technologists to recognize the impact of environmental factors such as temperature on EP latencies to make accurate assessments during surgical procedures.