A comparative evaluation of dexmedetomidine with midazolam as an adjuvant to propofol anesthesia for spinal surgical procedures under motor evoked potential monitoring

Abstract

Background: Intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring helps to prevent neurologic morbidity from surgical manipulations. Anesthetic agents have a dose dependent adverse effect on the ability to record evoked potential responses. Evoked potentials are highly sensitive to fluctuations in physiological parameters. The main objective of the study was to compare midazolam and dexmedetomidine in producing minimum effect on motor evoked potential amplitude keeping consistent depth of anesthesia and to evaluate hemodynamic stability during the surgery.