Olmsted ZT, Silverstein JW, Einstein EH, Sowulewski J, Nelson P, Boockvar JA, D'Amico RS. Evolution of flash visual evoked potentials to monitor visual pathway integrity during tumor resection: illustrative cases and literature review.
Neurosurg Rev 2023;
46:46. [PMID:
36715828 DOI:
10.1007/s10143-023-01955-z]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Flash visual evoked potentials (fVEPs) provide a means to interrogate visual system functioning intraoperatively during tumor resection in which the optic pathway is at risk for injury. Due to technical limitations, fVEPs have remained underutilized in the armamentarium of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) techniques. Here we review the evolution of fVEPs as an IONM technique with emphasis on the enabling technological and intraoperative improvements. A combined approach with electroretinography (ERG) has enhanced feasibility of fVEP neuromonitoring as a practical application to increase safety and reduce error during tumor resection near the prechiasmal optic pathway. The major advance has been towards differentiating true cases of damage from false findings. We use two illustrative neurosurgical cases in which fVEPs were monitored with and without ERG to discuss limitations and demonstrate how ERG data can clarify false-positive findings in the operating room. Standardization measures have focused on uniformity of photostimulation parameters for fVEP recordings between neurosurgical groups.
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