For Patients
State of the Art Technology designed to make your surgery as safe as possible
What is IOM?
IOM (Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring) is a real-time assessment of the brain, spinal cord and nerves during any surgery that places these structures at risk. The goal of IOM is to provide the surgeon with up-to-the-second information about the status of your nervous system. Surgeons rely on the immediate feedback of IOM to ensure the safest way to achieve the surgical goal.
IOM Solutions is a team of neurophysiologists (doctors and certified technologists) who provide the comprehensive neurophysiological monitoring service for hospitals and surgeons.
IOM uses recordings of bioelectrical signals recorded and interpreted in real-time from the patient`s nervous system during the surgical procedure. The goal of IOM is to reduce neurological morbidity from surgical manipulations. Thus, IOM offers real-time, early detection of potential damage to important neural structures to avoid postoperative neurologic deficits.
The use of IOM adds an additional safety level for both surgeons and patients. In tumor resections, for example, not only is IOM an effective tool for localizing anatomic structures around tumor borders but also guides the surgeon to correctly judge how to safely proceed while maintaining the functional integrity of the surrounding neural tissue.
What Can I Expect as a Patient?
One of our neurophysiology technologists meets you on the day of the surgery to describe and explain the tests ordered by the surgeon as well as answer all of your questions.
After you are under anesthesia, the technologist places electrodes in specific parts of your body to conduct comprehensive, real-time monitoring of your nervous system.
Baseline values are obtained prior to the beginning of the surgery. As the surgery progresses, the technologist, under the guidance and supervision of a reading neurologist, provides real-time feedback to the surgeon with respect to any deviation of signals from their baseline values. Based on such communication, corrective action can be taken by the surgeon, if needed, to avoid any postoperative neurologic deficits.
Why Should My Surgeon Use IOM During My Surgery?
IOM has become the gold standard of care for all surgeries that place the brain, spinal cord, and nerves in jeopardy. Surgeries from neck and back spine surgery, to brain tumor resections, to thyroid and carotid surgeries all benefit from real-time feedback IOM clinical services.
IOM has been shown to improve patient outcomes by reducing the likelihood of neurological deficits, including muscle weakness, paralysis, impaired hearing, and the loss of other normal body functions, following high-risk surgeries. Ask your doctor if they have ordered intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring through IOM Solutions for your surgery.
Your safety is our goal!