Development and Feasibility Study of a Triage Tool for Early Referral to Spinal Cord Stimulation for Patients With Chronic Low Back and Leg Pain.

Background: In recent years, delayed elective care and growing waiting lists increasingly resulted in postponed surgeries for patients with chronic back and leg pain.

Objective: To develop, implement, and evaluate the feasibility of a triage tool for patients with chronic back and/or leg pain to identify those eligible for referral to spinal cord stimulation (SCS) consultation.

Methods: A triage tool was developed, based on Dutch SCS guidelines, literature review and expert panel consultation.

Spectral tissue sensing to identify intra- and extravascular needle placement - A randomized single-blind controlled trial.

Safe vascular access is a prerequisite for intravenous drug admission. Discrimination between intra- and extravascular needle position is essential for procedure safety. Spectral tissue sensing (STS), based on optical spectroscopy, can provide tissue information directly from the needle tip.