intraoperative neuromonitoring
Pronunciation: in-trah-OP-er-ah-tiv nur-oh-MON-i-tor-ing
Also written as: IONM — intraoperative neuromonitoring
Real-time neurophysiological assessment during surgery to prevent damage to neural structures.
Full Definition
Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) encompasses various neurophysiological techniques used during surgery to assess the functional integrity of neural pathways in real-time. Common modalities include somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs), motor evoked potentials (MEPs), and electromyography (EMG). IONM helps surgeons identify and avoid damage to critical neural structures, particularly during spine and brain surgeries. Changes in monitoring signals can alert the surgical team to potential neurological injury, allowing for immediate corrective action.
Usage
Usage note: Specify the type of monitoring used (SSEP, MEP, EMG) in surgical documentation.
In Context
- "Intraoperative neuromonitoring showed stable signals throughout the spinal fusion procedure." — spine surgery report
- "Loss of motor evoked potentials during intraoperative neuromonitoring prompted surgical repositioning." — operative complication note