Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring (IONM)

Led by Dr Eva Ritzl, the Johns Hopkins Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring unit is a multi-disciplinary specialty program that provides intraoperative monitoring procedures to our surgeons.

What is intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring?

Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) describes a group of procedures used during surgery to monitor neural pathways during high-risk neurosurgical, orthopedic, peripheral nerve, and vascular surgeries. These procedures assist surgeons in preventing damage and preserving functionality of the nervous system.

There are two types of IONM: techniques used to identify impending damage to the nervous system, and techniques used to map the structures of the nervous system.