Doctors often use an invasive catheter inside an artery to get continuous blood pressure readings during surgery, but that can be uncomfortable and risk complications. In a new study, Zahra Einalou, Maria Angela Franceschini and colleagues tested a wearable near-infrared sensor (FlexNIRS) combined with machine learning to estimate blood pressure without needing a needle. In surgeries on 10 patients, the AI-driven estimates closely matched the readings from traditional methods. This approach could one day offer a gentler, safer way to continuously monitor blood pressure in hospitals — or even outside medical settings.
Read the Paper
Einalou Z, Dadgostar M, Wu KC, Martin A, Robinson MB, Renna M, Qu JZ, Sunwoo J, Franceschini MA. Noninvasive continuous blood pressure prediction using FlexNIRS and machine learning during carotid endarterectomy. J Biomed Opt. 2025 Feb;30(Suppl 2):S23913. doi: 10.1117/1.JBO.30.S2.S23913. Epub 2025 Sep 19. PMID: 40979254; PMCID: PMC12447979. (PubMed page)