[Prognostic value of early somatosensory evoked potentials in the presence of traumatic lesions of the spinal cord].

Cortical and cervical early somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) were recorded after stimulation of median, ulnar, tibial or common peroneus nerves in 23 patients with traumatic paraplegia or quadriplegia. The clinical progress of these patients was followed for more than 18 months. The gradual clinical recovery or its absence was compared with neurophysiological data. In complete spinal injury, the absence of SEPs in response to stimulation of a nerve entering the cord below the level of injury demonstrates the high degree of spinal cord damage. There was a good correlation between the presence of SEP, even of low amplitude or long latency, and a favorable prognosis. The return of the SEP could herald clinical recovery of posterior column function. From a practical point of view, these preliminary data suggest that the investigation of early SEPs must begin with a very short delay after injury and be continued for approximately 6 months so that the irreversibility of the lesion can be clearly established.