What is typically monitored to assess spinal cord function during surgeries?

Monitoring spinal cord function during surgeries is crucial for preventing intraoperative neurological deficits. Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) are indeed frequently used to monitor the integrity of motor pathways in the spinal cord, but they primarily assess voluntary motor function rather than sensory pathways.

Cortical somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) focus on the sensory pathways from peripheral nerves through the spinal cord to the primary somatosensory cortex. These potentials are particularly valuable for assessing the function of the dorsal columns and lateral spinothalamic tracts, which are crucial in conveying sensory information and assessing the integrity of spinal cord function during surgeries. This monitoring is pivotal in procedures that may put the spinal cord at risk, such as scoliosis corrective surgery or other spinal surgeries.

Visual and auditory evoked potentials primarily measure pathways associated with visual and auditory systems, respectively, and do not provide direct information regarding spinal cord function during surgical procedures. Thus, they are not the preferred modalities for monitoring spinal cord integrity during surgery.