Neuromonitoring for scoliosis surgery

The use of intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) during pediatric scoliosis repair has become commonplace to reduce the risk of potentially devastating postoperative neurologic deficits. IONM techniques include somatosensory evoked potentials, motor evoked potentials, electromyography, and intraoperative wake-up tests. Special considerations for scoliosis repair in pediatric patients include preexisting neurologic deficits and young patients with immature neural pathways in whom neurophysiologic monitoring may prove difficult or unreliable.