About CANM
Welcome to the Canadian Association of Neurophysiological Monitoring (CANM) webpage. Since its inception in 2008, CANM has been dedicated to providing professional education opportunities for intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) specialists. CANM is proud to have created an online two-year certificate course with the Michener Institute that was offered between 2014-2022. The IONM community in Canada is small but we pride ourselves in our vision and dedication to our craft. Our goal is to provide high level education/training to produce leading IONM professionals to serve the surgical community and their patients.
Our Mission and Vision
The CANM mission is to promote the field of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring and foster the development of the profession through education so as to provide optimum patient care. Our vision is to be recognized as the united voice for the profession of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring in Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are we?
How did we begin?
In 2007, a group of IONM professionals in the Toronto area began planning a gathering of Canadians interested in IONM. At this inaugural scientific symposium in 2008, the concept of a national association was overwhelmingly approved and CANM was officially launched.
What is IONM?
An established field of allied healthcare dedicated to protecting the nervous system function of patients undergoing high-risk surgery. Surgeons utilize IONM to help guide surgical decision-making during procedures such as scoliosis correction, spine surgery, epilepsy surgery, brain, and spinal cord tumors. IONM professionals work in close collaboration with surgeons, anesthesiologists, and other operating room staff.
How does it work?
IONM professionals utilize a variety of tests, including motor evoked potentials (MEP), somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP), electroencephalography (EEG), electromyography (EMG) and more, to assess the functional status of the patients nervous system throughout the surgical procedure while the patient is under anesthesia. The feedback received from the IONM professional can assist in preventing devastating outcomes, such as paralysis.
Who performs IONM?
Currently, Canada has a core group of highly qualified IONM professionals coming from a range of professional and educational backgrounds.