The Role of Intraoperative Neurophysiologic Monitoring on Surgical Decision Making and Neurologic Outcomes in Pediatric Patients With Intramedullary Spinal Cord Tumors.

Summary: Removing tumors from inside a child's spinal cord is a delicate balancing act: surgeons must remove the cancer without damaging the nerves that control movement and feeling. A new study looked at 59 surgeries where doctors used "neurophysiologic monitoring"—an electrical alarm system that warns surgeons if nerves are stressed. The study found that when these alarms went off—especially in older children or those with larger tumors—surgeons stopped cutting to protect the spinal cord. While these alarms often meant a longer hospital stay immediately after surgery, the strategy worked: most children recovered well and regained function within a year.