Objective: To evaluate postoperative and mid-term results of carotid surgery (CS) with somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) monitoring.
Methods: Between 1998 and 2006, 141 CS in 124 patients were performed under general anesthesia. Selective shunting was based on SEP abnormality. Shunting criteria were: reduction up to 50% of the amplitude or latency increasing up to 10%. Early results and follow-up data are analyzed retrospectively.
Results: Shunting rate was 6%, 3 strokes (two transient strokes) occurred and one patient died of perioperative myocardial ischemia. The cumulative stroke and death rate at 30 days was 1.4%.
Conclusions: Intra-operative SEP monitoring with selective shunting may be safely performed in carotid surgery.