Replacement for opium: American scientists have created an anesthetic implant that cools the nerves.

According to the developers, the device can help with acute pain - for example, after amputations, nerve transplants or spinal decompression surgeries. The device includes a pump, an external control system and an implant made of a soft elastic polymer. The latter contains a sealed set of tiny channels that are placed around the target nerve like a cuff. The implant has an important advantage: unlike pain relievers (such as opioids), it is not addictive.