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Bite injuries caused by transcranial electrical stimulation motor-evoked potentials’ monitoring: incidence, associated factors, and clinical course

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Abstract

Purpose

The incidence of bite injuries associated with transcranial electrical stimulation motor-evoked potentials monitoring reportedly ranges from 0.13 to 0.19%. However, in clinical practice, bite injuries appear to occur more frequently than previously reported. Our aim was to identify the incidence of and perioperative risk factors associated with bite injuries caused by transcranial electrical stimulation motor-evoked potential monitoring.

Methods

Patients who underwent elective surgery with transcranial electrical stimulation motor-evoked potential monitoring at a single tertiary hospital in Japan between June 2017 and December 2017 were included in this study. All patients were assessed by oral surgeons preoperatively and postoperatively. The associated factors with bite injuries were explored by the univariate analysis.

Results

12 of 186 patients experienced 13 bite injuries, including three lip, six oral mucosa, and four tongue injuries. No patient required suture repair. 11 of 12 patients had uneventful postoperative courses and were cured within 12 postoperative days. One patient with a tongue ulcer and a hematoma had difficulty in oral intake and persistent dysgeusia. Patient severe movement during transcranial electrical stimulation motor-evoked potential monitoring was associated with bite injuries (p = 0.03).

Conclusions

The incidence of bite injuries assessed by oral surgeons was 6.5% in patients with transcranial electrical stimulation motor-evoked potential monitoring, and the patients with severe movement during the monitoring tended to incur bite injuries. In rare cases, transcranial electrical stimulation motor-evoked potential monitoring may cause difficulty in oral intake and dysgeusia.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan

    Sachiko Yata, Hiroko Shimotsuji, Yosuke Nakagawa, Nobuhiro Ueda & Tadaaki Kirita

  2. Department of Anesthesiology, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara, 634-8522, Japan

    Mitsuru Ida & Masahiko Kawaguchi

  3. Division of Central Clinical Laboratory, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan

    Tsunenori Takatani

  4. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan

    Hideki Shigematsu

  5. Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan

    Yasushi Motoyama & Hiroyuki Nakase

Authors
  1. Sachiko Yata
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  2. Mitsuru Ida
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  3. Hiroko Shimotsuji
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  4. Yosuke Nakagawa
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  5. Nobuhiro Ueda
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  6. Tsunenori Takatani
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  7. Hideki Shigematsu
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  8. Yasushi Motoyama
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  9. Hiroyuki Nakase
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  10. Tadaaki Kirita
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  11. Masahiko Kawaguchi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mitsuru Ida.

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The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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Cite this article

Yata, S., Ida, M., Shimotsuji, H. et al. Bite injuries caused by transcranial electrical stimulation motor-evoked potentials’ monitoring: incidence, associated factors, and clinical course. J Anesth 32, 844–849 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00540-018-2562-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00540-018-2562-0

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