Intra-operatory Neurophysiological Monitoring Changes as a Predictive Clinical Outcome Measure in Lumbar Radiculopathy.

American British Cowdray Medical Center200 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to determine the relation among: (1) changes in voltage and amplitude of trans-operatory records obtained through the use of Intra-operative Neurophysiological Monitoring (IONM), and (2) clinical outcomes; of patients who underwent 1 or 2 levels surgical decompression at lumbar spine. IONM is the use of real time neurophysiological techniques during spinal surgeries. The modalities included in this study are: * Somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs). * Trans-cranial electric motor evoked potentials (tceMEPs). * Spontaneous electromyography (EMG). Clinical outcome of the patients will be assessed through a careful evaluation of clinical data, as well as the application of three outcome scales: * Oswestry Disability Index 2.1a * Visual Analogue Scale for Pain * Patient's Overall Impression of Change

Radiculopathy associated to lumbar disk disease is one of the most common reasons for a spine surgeon to be consulted. The pathophysiology of degenerative spine disease is acknowledged as complex, involving a wide array of risk factors ranging from genetic polymorphisms, to behavioural characteristics. While conflicting opinions exist with regard the direction of treatment for lumbar disk disease, de-compressive surgery is currently the gold standard for patients in which protocols of physiotherapy and analgesics have failed to comply. Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) is widely used in the practice of spine surgery as a mean of preventing and reducing severe complications inherent to surgical techniques like paraparesis, paraplegia and quadriplegia. Indeed, a great deal of funding and work have been devoted to research projects seeking to determine the impact of IONM in reducing these risks. The results of such projects have been notoriously interesting, and frequently opposing to each other. This has lead to an open debate on weather the use of IONM may or not be justified by better outcomes in patients who undergo such procedure. To our knowledge there is no study in the literature that has addressed the potential role of the IOM to predict the long-term outcome of the patient in therms of radicular symptoms improvement.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

200

Conditions

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Electrophysiological changes measured through intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring.

Standard register electrodes where placed from L1 to L5 myotomes and dermatomes. Through trans-operative real time modalities (trans-cranial electric motor evoked potentials, somatosensory evoked potentials, and spontaneous electromyography) measurements on amplitude and voltage were recorded at the beginning and at the end of the spinal decompression. This change will be studied to determine its predictive power in the clinical long-term outcome of the patients.

Time frame: Trans-operative

Secondary Outcomes

Visual analogue scale for pain

The visual analogue scale is a written survey used to assess the pain a person endures. The patient will select a number from one to ten to express the relative amount of pain she is suffering. Data collected throughout the study will be used as a clinical follow-up measure to be compared with that obtained through intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring. Approximate time of completion is \<5 minutes; and no physical examination, nor additional pain may be experienced by completing such survey

Time frame: In the pre-operatory consult with the surgeon, and in the follow-up visits up to two years after the completion of the neurological surgery; the patient will be asked to complete the Visual Analogue Scale for Pain

Oswestry Disability Index 2.1a

The Oswestry Disability Index 2.1a is a written survey used to quantify the amount of disability a person endures due to low-back pain. The patient will answer a series of 10 questions enquiring about experiences of her life, and how the pain she suffers affects the quality of these experiences. Data collected throughout the study will be used as a clinical follow-up measure to be compared with that obtained through intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring. Approximate time of completion is \<5 minutes; and no physical examination, nor additional pain may be experienced by completing such survey.

Patient's Global Impression of Change Survey

The Patient's Global Impression of Change Survey is a written survey used to quantify the amount of improvement a person perceives for herself after receiving a certain treatment. The patient will select from a list of previously defined statements, the one that best describes her impression of change after the surgery, and will select a number ranging from one to ten representing her perception of improvement. Data collected throughout the study will be used as a clinical follow-up measure to be compared with that obtained through intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring. Approximate time of completion is \<5 minutes; and no physical examination, nor additional pain may be experienced by completing such survey.

Time frame: In the follow-up visits up to two years after the completion of the neurological surgery, the patient will be asked to complete the Patient's Global Impression of Change Survey