Is intraoperative neuromonitoring a good idea in my practice?

Abstract

Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) is a growing field within neurology. IONM uses a variety of neurophysiologic modalities to detect signs of potential injury to neural structures while a patient is undergoing surgery. An early warning to the surgeon about signal changes may prevent permanent neurologic disability. Since all monitoring is done in real time, the work pace is fast. The operating room environment poses additional challenges for signal acquisition and interpretation. Specific training in the field is becoming increasingly available. Several practice models exist and IONM can be performed in an academic or a private practice setting. A career in intraoperative neuromonitoring can offer lots of opportunities, a high degree of job satisfaction, and flexibility to those choosing to enter the field.