Facial nerve motor-evoked potential monitoring during skull base surgery predicts facial nerve outcome.
- PubMed: 21708066
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether monitoring facial nerve motor-evoked potentials (FNMEPs) elicited by transcranial electrical stimulation during skull base tumour surgery is useful for predicting facial nerve outcome. METHODS: This study analysed FNMEP findings in 26 patients with skull base tumours. Corkscrew electrodes positioned at C3 or C4 and Cz were used to deliver supramaximal stimuli (180-550 V). FNMEPs were recorded from the orbicularis oculi and oris muscles. The correlation between the final-to-baseline FNMEP ratio and postoperative facial nerve function was examined. RESULTS: Postoperative facial nerve function correlated significantly with the FNMEP ratios in the orbicularis oculi (p = 0.004) and orbicularis oris (p50%. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative FNMEP monitoring can be useful for predicting facial nerve function after skull base surgery. This new method is a valuable adjunct to conventional facial nerve monitoring.
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