Intraoperative Neurophysiology Monitoring Unit (IONM)

Overview

Intraoperative neurophysiology is a fast-growing field in neurology and clinical neurophysiology. Through an array of electrophysiological techniques, neurophysiologists are able to identify functional neural tissue, detect impending damage, localize the level of such damage within the neuroaxis and relay this information to surgeons during a variety of procedures. Neuro-monitoring and neuro-mapping prevent post-operative neurological deficit of the brain, brainstem, spinal cord, cranial and peripheral nerves.

Intraoperative neurophysiology has a significant positive impact for patient safety, enhances patient care, and is a great venue for neuroscience research.

The Intraoperative Neurophysiology Monitoring (IONM) team at Mass General is a professional team of neurologists and technologists with many years of IONM experience, who provide live functional guidance. We are present during any surgery in which there lies a high risk of neurological deficit. The IONM service is committed to improve neurological outcome after surgery.

As a whole, the team has been part of multidisciplinary care, working closely with members of the Neurology, Neurosurgery, Vascular Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery and Anesthesia Departments. Our physicians are board certified neurologists with formal training in all aspects of clinical neurophysiology (i.e. EEG, Evoked Potentials, and EMG).

The advanced technologies available at our institution enable us to continually set new standards in the field, and the IONM service conducts cutting edge research having as primary goal improvement of patient care and overall clinical outcome. We aim to better the various techniques and methods we utilize, to further protect and prevent postoperative neurologic deficit.