Transurethral electrical stimulation for intraoperative bulbocavernosus reflex monitoring during spine surgery in females.

OBJECTIVE

Intraoperative bulbocavernosus reflex (BCR) monitoring is more difficult in females than in males. This study was designed to compare the feasibility of transurethral electrical stimulation BCR (tu-BCR) monitoring with that of conventional BCR (c-BCR) monitoring during spine surgery in females.

METHODS

Twenty-four females were included. For stimulation in c-BCR monitoring, a pair of surface electrodes was placed on the genitals (cathode/anode: clitoris/adjacent labium). For stimulation in tu-BCR monitoring, a urethral catheter attached to a pair of electrodes was inserted into the urethra. BCRs were recorded from the external anal sphincter after a single train of four stimulation pulses.

RESULTS

There was no postoperative urinary tract injury associated with urethral catheter insertion for tu-BCR. Tu-BCR monitoring had a significantly higher success rate of baseline recording than c-BCR monitoring (87.5% vs 66.7%, respectively, p = 0.028). The specificities of tu-BCR and c-BCR monitoring were 100% and 87.2%, respectively. The sensitivity was not calculated because no patients had postoperative urinary or bowel dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicate that tu-BCR monitoring improved the success rate of baseline recording and specificity during spine surgery in females.

SIGNIFICANCE

Tu-BCR monitoring was more reliable than c-BCR monitoring during spine surgery in females.