There may be another option to solve this dilemma. The field of neuro-monitoring (neurological monitoring) has the technology available to continuously monitor brain activity of these sedated ICU subjects. This may allow for early diagnosis and possibly identify changes in neurologic function before they become symptomatic. In the past, neuro-monitoring was primarily used in the operating room to monitor neurologic function during surgery in and around the spinal cord. Surgery to the spine or spinal cord also carries its own form of risk, either from mechanical trauma to the spinal cord or its nerve roots, or from interruption of the blood supply to these structures. Should damage to nerve fibers occur, the end result could be paralysis, loss of sensation, and onset of severe burning (i.e. neuropathic) pain. The field of intraoperative neuro-monitoring (IOM) was developed to address these risks during spine surgery, whereby nerves rostral (toward the head) or caudal (toward the feet) to the site of surgery are stimulated (usually via electrical pulses) and signals are recorded from the side opposite to the site of stimulation. Thus, the signals carried by nerve fibers are forced to pass through the region at risk from the surgery. In the event that changes in nerve responses are seen, the surgical team is notified, and they can change what they're doing to try and restore signals, thereby preserving function in the nerve fibers.