Does Heart Rate Variablity (HRV) Predict Hypotension in Patients Undergoing Cervical Myelopathy Surgery ?

Cervical myelopathy is commonly associated with degenerative spinal disease. Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system is also evident in many cases of cervical myelopathy. Autonomic dysfunction may result in haemodynamic instability and hypotension under anaesthesia. It is important to maintain adequate mean arterial pressure in order to perfuse the spinal cord and prevent cord ischemia. Heart rate variability, the physiological variations of the differences between heart beats, has been used to diagnose autonomic dysfunction. In patients with cervical myelopathy it may enable the anaesthetist to predict hypotension thereby allowing for early treatment and prevention of spinal cord ischemia.