WHAT IS

IONM

Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) is the continuous surveillance of a patient’s nervous system (the brain, spinal cord, and nerves) when it can be at risk of injury during surgery. The purpose of IONM is to protect the nervous system.

What is Intraoperative Neuromonitoring or IONM?

Depending on the procedure, a variety of tests can be used to measure nervous system function. Usually, IONM works by delivering electrical impulses to the nervous system and measuring their effect. To gather this information, electrodes are attached to the wrists, ankles, scalp, and sometimes to specific muscle groups, depending on the type of surgery.

A trained clinician (surgical neurophysiologist), under the supervision of a qualified IONM physician, constantly monitors the information from the tests. When significant neurophysiological change is detected, the IONM team provides immediate feedback to the surgeon, anesthesiologist and nurses who can respond quickly to minimize the chances of long-term post-operative injury.

IONM provides an extra layer of safety for both the surgeon and most importantly, the patient.

A patient’s insurance carrier may pay for a portion of the costs associated with IONM. This amount depends on the specific carrier and insurance plan. Patients can contact their insurance provider to find out about coverage for IONM. Patients and surgeons should consider the advantages of preventative IONM services compared with the risks and costs of serious neurological complications.

HISTORY OF

IONM

1930's

The first use of IONM dates back to the 1930s, when direct stimulation of the brain was used to identify the motor cortex of patients with epilepsy undergoing intracranial surgery

1980's

Later on, it was the introduction of new monitoring tests and the invention of the commercial IONM machine in the early 1980s that allowed for the widespread use of the technique.

1990's

The 1990s saw transcranial electric motor evoked potentials (tceMEPs)  introduced as a method for monitoring spinal cord activity and for predicting postoperative motor problems. Technological advances in the last 20 years have allowed monitoring techniques to continually evolve.

2010 +

The widespread availability of computer networks and communication systems has allowed IONM to be performed even from remote sites. This has made the technique even more popular in the last decade.

PROMOTE

IONM

SpecialtyCare offers IONM specialists a way to promote the amazing work that they do. We offer exclusive lifestyle options that appeal to a much larger audience. Browse our store and see the items we offer, from scrubs, t-shirts, totes, backpacks, and more!

CONNECT

WITH US

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@specialtycare

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@specialtycareus

Intraoperative Neuromonitoring (IONM) Services

SpecialtyCare is the largest provider of intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) services in the nation, with 110,000 cases every year. Our people work alongside the world’s leading surgeons to help identify any early signs of neurological injury. Our surgical neurophysiologist clinicians are backed by a skilled team of IONM physicians, who provide additional support with real-time monitoring through telecommunication, enabling timely interventions to avoid long-term neural problems. At SpecialtyCare, the health of the patient always comes first. As a partner in IONM, we are your insurance policy against risk and the high cost of patient injury, even during the most complex procedures like spine surgery, brain surgery, cardiac surgery, vascular surgery, and general orthopedic surgery. You can rely on our expertise in IONM to reduce risk and help ensure patient safety.

SpecialtyCare

3 Maryland Farms, Suite 200
Brentwood, TN 37027-5005