Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of monitoring transcranial electrically stimulated motor evoked potential (MEP) and its impact on postoperative motor function after surgical clipping of intracranial aneurysms.
Methods: A total of 69 aneurysm patients were monitored for MEP during surgery. The postoperative and preoperative neurological function variation and the correlation between them were compared.
Results: MEP deteriorated in 9/68 patients, 6 of the deteriorated MEP returned to normal within 1-40 min, and no new motor deficit emerged. 3 of MEP failed to return to the baseline, which were consistent with postoperative motor function deficit.
Conclusion: Changes in MEP could serve as early indication of the cerebral ischemia, predicting postoperative motor function and providing a guide to a safe time for temporary clipping. FNMEP monitoring is a safe and reliable tool for the integrity of facial nerve pathway in giant aneurysm surgery.