OCT-assisted needle for epidural injection

An epidural injection is one among many medical procedures used for a long time for anaesthesia and pain associated with radiculopathy. It is the most preferred method for drug delivery for sciatica patients and local anaesthesia. It is crucial to precisely assess the exact position of the needle while performing the procedure. There have been several cases of paralysis, mainly after transforaminal epidural injections. So, there is always a high scope for a device that can precisely measure the needle position in real-time during the epidural injection. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has become an essential tool in bio-imaging. An OCT is a Michelson interferometer with one of the mirrors replaced by the sample that we want to image. The main attraction offered by the system is that it is non-invasive. We report using an OCT- based optical fibre catheter, which can be used to guide the epidural injections. The catheter is made of single-mode optical fibre, and for focusing the light beam, a ball lens is designed and fabricated on the tip of the fibre. The lens is designed to have a diameter of 250 mu m and will be inserted into the needle. The fibre catheter will be connected to a custom-made SD-OCT system equipped with a high speed inhouse made spectrometer. By analysing the A-scan images from the system, we can precisely calculate the thickness of the surface in front of the catheter. This data will guide the clinician to assess the needle position precisely in real-time.

Automated summary

Epidural injection is a medical procedure used for anaesthesia and pain associated with radiculopathy, where it is crucial to assess the needle position accurately. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) can be used to guide epidural injections, providing the advantage of real-time accurate measurement of needle position.