Continuous and intermitted nerve monitoring in thyroid surgery: two complementary devices

Intraoperative neural monitoring (IONM) is a constitutive procedure in the management of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) in thyroid surgery. Progress in IONM currently includes devices that intermittently (I-IONM) evaluate RLN functionality and accessories that continuously assess the entire RLN route by permanent vagal nerve stimulation, i.e., continuous intraoperative nerve monitoring (C-IONM) (1). I-IONM is achievable through a monopolar or bipolar hand probe stimulator.