We describe a 55-year-old male patient with a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) as a result of left middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm rupture, who underwent continuous electroencephalogram (EEG) and somatosensory evoked potential (cEEG-SEP) monitoring that showed an unusual SEP trend pattern. EEG was continuously recorded, and SEPs following stimulation of median nerves were recorded every 50 minutes, with the amplitude and latency of the cortical components automatically trended. An increase in intracranial pressure required a left decompressive craniectomy. cEEG-SEP monitoring was started on day 7, which showed a prolonged (24 hours) instability of SEPs in the left hemisphere. During this phase, left MCA vasospasm was demonstrated by transcranial Doppler (TCD), and computed tomography perfusion (CTP) showed a temporo-parieto-occipital ischemic penumbra. Following intravascular treatment, hypoperfusion and the amplitude of cortical SEPs improved. In our case, a prolonged phase of SEP amplitude instability during vasospasm in SAH correlated with a phase of ischemic penumbra, as demonstrated by CTP. In SAH, SEP instability during continuous monitoring is a pattern of alert that can allow treatments capable of avoiding irreversible neurological deterioration.
Keywords: acute brain injury; continuous SEP monitoring; delayed cerebral ischemia; neurophysiological monitoring; subarachnoid hemorrhage.