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Needle Stylet with Integrated Optical Fibers for Spectroscopic Contrast during Peripheral Nerve Blocks

This was the first paper to demonstrate that molecular contrast for tissues encountered during peripheral nerve blocks can be obtained in real-time with optical spectroscopy. Each year, over 6 million nerve blocks are performed worldwide in the field of Anaesthesiology. During these procedures, accurate identification of nerves is critical to ensure complete loss of sensory function. The proposed technique could significantly improve nerve identification and thereby improve clinical outcomes. It can be rapidly translated into clinical practice, as it is fully compatible with current workflow. Results were obtained during a surgical dissection with clinical collaborators.