NVM5® Nerve Monitoring System

Core to the NuVasive philosophy of facilitating reproducible outcomes in spine surgery is the procedural integration of neurophysiology and computer-assisted surgery technologies.

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Information you need

About NVM5

The NVM5 platform is a comprehensive set of intraoperative technologies specifically designed for spine surgery, including multimodality monitoring of the spinal cord and nerves, as well as refinements to the spinal rod-bending technology Bendini®.

NVM5 modalities include:

Stimulated electromyography (EMG)
Free-run EMG
Motor evoked potentials (MEP)
Somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP)
Computer-assisted surgery applications

Capabilities of the NVM5 platform in spine surgery include:

Nerve avoidance and navigation
Nerve monitoring and instrument navigation
Spinal cord monitoring
Peripheral sensory nerve monitoring
Computer-assisted, rod-bending technology
Intraoperative angular assessment tools

Why is intraoperative monitoring used in surgery?

EMG is the study of the electrical activity of muscles. It is a test used to help assess the health and function of nerves and/or muscles. EMG can be used to help your physician assess proper pedicle screw placement in fusion surgeries to help reduce the chance of nerve impingement, or to aid in assessing nerve proximity and location during surgical approaches.

SSEP monitor the posterior part of the spinal cord to help detect signs of sensory changes. It is a test used to help your physician assess changes due to ischemia (lack of blood flow to the spinal cord), mechanical manipulation, or lack of blood supply to the limbs due to positioning during surgery. SSEP is one of the most widely used modalities.

MEP monitor the anterior spinal cord, providing information about motor function. MEP can be used to help your physician assess potential damage or injury to the spinal cord due to ischemia, derotation, and other mechanical manipulation. In conjunction with SSEP, it can be used to verify the spinal cord pathway is intact.

When do you need NVM5 monitoring?

Your physician might determine that intraoperative NVM5 EMG, MEP and/or SSEP monitoring is a good option for you if you require surgery in your cervical, thoracic, or lumbar regions, such as:

Lumbar decompression
Lumbar interbody fusion from any approach: anterior (ALIF), posterior (PLIF, TLIF), lateral (XLIF^®)
Lumbar pedicle screw instrumentation
Lumbar total disc replacement
Cauda equina surgery
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF)
Cervical total disc replacement
Posterior cervical fusion (PCF)
Spinal cord tumor resections
Scoliosis surgery
Thoracic vertebroplasty

Information You Need

This web page is designed to inform you about the use of NVM5 nerve monitoring in the course of your surgery. It is not meant to replace any personal conversations that you might wish to have with your physician or other member of your healthcare team. Not all the information here will apply to your individual treatment or its outcome. The information is intended to answer some of your questions and serve as a stimulus for you to ask appropriate questions about the surgery.