What is MEP monitoring?
MEP monitoring is a newer modality that offers direct monitoring of the motor system through transcranial electrical stimulation of the motor cortical structures and recording of myogenic responses in the target muscle groups.
What is Intraoperative monitoring?
Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) protects patients by continuously monitoring the central nervous system (the brain, spinal cord, and nerves) when it is at risk during surgery. Depending on the procedure, a variety of tests can be used to measure the nervous system function.
What is intraoperative spinal cord monitoring?
Spinal cord monitoring is a procedure used during some surgeries. It involves watching for possible damage to the spinal cord during surgery. It also is known as intraoperative monitoring, or IOM. A doctor trained in the procedure usually performs the monitoring.
What is a SSEP test for?
Somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) evaluate the nerve pathway from the arms and legs through the spinal cord to the brain. SSEPs are used to: Identify spinal cord injuries or diseases. Identify neuromuscular disease and demyelineating diseases.
Is Neuromonitoring necessary?
Intraoperative neuromonitoring can provide valuable information for a surgeon who performs complex spine surgery procedures and may prevent injury to a patient. However, according to some spine surgeons, this monitoring tool is not necessary or overly helpful in every spine surgery they perform.
How does Intraoperative monitoring work?
Intraoperative nerve monitoring systems (IONM) use the electromyographic signal of vocal muscle movement to reflect the function of the RLN8,9. IONM increases the identification rate of RLN, reduces the time of IONM identification and predicts the postoperative function of the vocal cords10,11.
How is Neuromonitoring done?
Neuromonitoring is a technology that allows the surgeon to assess spinal cord function during surgery through real-time feedback from individual nerve roots, motor tracts, and sensory tracts. After the introduction of the first commercial intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM), the procedure became popular in the 1980s.
How is a SSEP test performed?
Testing the somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) involves monitoring responses to physical stimulation at the wrist or ankle using electrodes placed on the scalp, neck or back. It is a useful test that can detect problems associated with nerves of the somatosensory system.