关键词:
SPINAL cord diseases
PATIENTS
NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
SOMATOSENSORY evoked potentials
ELECTROMYOGRAPHY
摘要:
In 1991, in Florence began a tight collaboration between Spinal Unit and Neurophysiological Service. From the beginning it became evident that neurophysiological examinations (NE) was a valid asset to clinical examination, because it helps to better define the real damage in patients with spinal cord lesion, traumatic but also vascular, neoplastic, iatrogenic, etc.. Although at the beginning NE was mainly used for diagnostic purposes, its prognostic value became evident for prediction of functional outcome with a higher reliability and be helpful for planning and selection of appropriate therapeutic-rehabilitative approaches. NE comprise SEPs, MEPs, EMG/ENG, SSR, LEPs. Until now 2510 patients (6–84 years old) were studied, many of whom were recorded multiple times also during the acute period. We observed every type of NE alterations; in cases where the NE responses were absent, even during acute stage, no functional recovery occurred. NE became very important for diagnosis of spinal patients with peripheral involvement or CIPM and for detecting cases at risk for autonomic dysreflexia. We agree with Curt and Dietz (2009), who wrote: “ combination of SEPs, MEPs and/or EMG measurements provides information about spinal cord function that is not retrievable by other clinical means and may have additional value in predicting functional benefit ”.