Changes in the latency of somatosensorial evoked potentials secondary to mild hypothermia during spine surgery

During spinal surgery, there are risks that can lead to postoperative deficits. Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IOM) includes tests that assess the functional integrity of the central and peripheral nervous systems, providing information on changes in neuronal function before irreversible injury occurs. The objective of this work was to identify changes in the latency of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) related to mild hypothermia in patients undergoing spinal surgery. Two clinical cases of patients undergoing spinal surgery with IOM are presented, focusing on changes in SEP latency and their correlation with body temperature measured by esophageal thermography. As a result, during monitoring, changes in SEP latency were observed, which were correlated with the presence of mild hypothermia. IOM is a useful tool for detecting alterations in neuronal function. However, various factors can influence SEP latency and amplitude, categorized as technical, physiological, pharmacological, surgical, and positional. In these cases, changes in SEP latency were associated with mild hypothermia, highlighting the importance of promptly recognizing and correcting physiological factors that may compromise the interpretation of studies during surgery.