Unmet Clinical Need

Unintended Nerve Injury

Accidental nerve injury during surgery is a leading cause of morbidity across many common surgical procedures, affecting millions of patients annually.

100M+

Surgeries Annually

Inpatient and ambulatory procedures performed globally each year.

10M+

Patients At Risk

Assuming an average incidence rate of 10% for iatrogenic nerve injury.

1.5 – 15%

Incidence Rate

Current estimates of injury due to reporting heterogeneity.

High Incidence Specialties

In a retrospective study of >380,000 cases at a single institution over 10 years, surgical procedures associated with the highest incidence of nerve injury included:

Orthopedic 21.0%
General Surgery 18.0%
Urology 13.0%
Neurosurgical 8.9%

Patient Impact

Complications from iatrogenic injury are often permanent and devastating:

  • Loss of function and sensation in limbs/organs
  • Muscle atrophy and paralysis
  • Chronic neuropathy and persistent pain
  • Severe disability and reduced quality of life
Clinical Evidence

Clinical Case Studies

Select a procedure below to see the nerve region at risk and the clinical impact of intraoperative nerve injury.

Nerve Region
Peripheral nervous system — Illuminare-1 nerve visualization
01
Urology: Prostatectomy
Neurovascular Bundle · Pelvic Region

Even with nerve-sparing techniques, erectile dysfunction occurs in 50–87% of cases.

It is estimated that 60% of men continue to experience erectile dysfunction 18 months post-operatively, only ~20% report erections strong enough for intercourse 5 years after surgery.

02
Breast Reconstruction
Intercostal Nerves · Chest Region

Women report chronic Post-Mastectomy Pain Syndrome (PMPS) in 20–68% of cases.

Primarily due to intraoperative nerve injury during the procedure.

03
Inguinal Hernia
Inguinal Nerves · Groin Region

Chronic groin pain is reported in 29% of inguinal hernia repair patients.

Generally caused by nerve damage during the repair procedure.

The Financial Burden of Nerve Injury

Beyond the physical toll, iatrogenic nerve injuries add a massive financial burden to healthcare systems. Malpractice payouts for nerve injuries average >$200,000 to over $4 million per case, depending on the procedure.

Surgical Procedure Average Payout / Settlement* Source
Spine Surgery $4,045,205 JNS 2017 Daniels et al.
Inguinal Hernia Repair $1,210,000 PubMed 30468306
Salivary Gland Surgery $933,235 PubMed 23380759
Facial Nerve Paralysis $461,844 JAMA Otolaryngology
Upper Extremities (Hand, Arm) $203,592 PubMed Central

*per successfully litigated plaintiff lawsuit

View Scientific References

1. Anesti K, Caine P Plast Aesthet Res 2015;2:309-310

2. Vecchio M et al. (2018). Iatrogenic nerve lesion following laparoscopic surgery. Ann Med Surg.

3. NQF-Endorsed Measures for Surgical Procedures, 2015-2017 FINAL REPORT.

4. Cotero VE, et al. Improved Intraoperative Visualization... 2015 PLoS ONE.

5. Walsh EM, et al. Fluorescence Imaging of Nerves During Surgery, 2019 AnnSurg.

6. Welch MB. Perioperative peripheral nerve injuries... Anesthesiology 2009.

7. Whelan P et al. Erectile dysfunction in robotic radical prostatectomy. IJU 2014.

8. Chen VE et al. Post-mastectomy... pain syndrome. Transl Cancer Res 2020.

9. Macdonald L et al. Long-term follow-up of breast cancer survivors... Br J Cancer 2005.

10. Bay-Nielsen M et al. Pain and functional impairment... Ann Surg 2001.

11. Mazin J. Causes of Postoperative Pain... Pract Pain Manag 2012.