Nerve detection during surgery: optical spectroscopy for peripheral nerve localization.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Optics
• Surgical Navigation
• Medical Spectroscopy

Background:

• Precise nerve localization is critical for surgical procedures and regional anesthesia.
• Optical techniques offer potential for tissue differentiation based on absorption and scattering properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) for in vivo clinical nerve identification.
• To assess the ability of DRS to distinguish nerves from adjacent tissues.

Main Methods:

• Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (400-1600 nm) was applied in vivo to nerves and surrounding tissues in 18 patients undergoing groin surgery.
• A needle-shaped probe was used for optical measurements.
• Model-based analysis derived quantitative parameters of optical absorbers (water, fat, hemoglobin) and scattering properties.

Main Results:

• Distinct tissue-specific spectral characteristics were observed.
• Significant differences in water and fat content (P < 0.005) were found between nerve and surrounding tissues.
• k-Nearest Neighbor classification achieved 85% sensitivity and 79% specificity for nerve identification.

Conclusions:

• Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy can effectively identify peripheral nerve bundles in vivo.
• Observed spectral differences are attributable to variations in tissue composition and structure.
• DRS holds potential as a tool for enhanced nerve localization in clinical settings.