To date, there is no way to directly and locally monitor spinal cord (SC) oxygenation to prevent iatrogenic neurological injury during spine surgery. The aims were to develop and test in vivo on a pig model a prototype to monitor in real time and intraoperatively the oxygenation of the SC using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology. Methods: We conducted an animal experiment on a pig. We performed 4 series of measurements. 1-2) Ear and vertebrae of the animal in normal condition (baseline, i.e. without any stimulation); 3-4) Vertebrae after induction of hypoxia and tachycardia. Results: The use of our probe on the ear and on the vertebra in basic condition allowed us to record heart rate, respiratory rate and local oxygen saturation similar in both cases and comparable to that found on the anesthesia monitor. During hypoxia induction, locally measured oxygen saturation decreases from 100% to 60%. It then increases again when the hypoxia induction sequence is stopped and returns to its baseline value. At the same time, an increase in heart rate was observed in response to hypoxia. After induction of tachycardia by injection of adrenaline, our prototype was able to measure an increase in heart rate of 100 bpm to 200 bpm, comparable to anesthetic monitoring. Conclusion: We have successfully tested a prototype for real-time monitoring of SC oxygenation in large animals and its ability to detect alterations in SC vascularization and oxygenation. This study attests that NIRS technology is a promising tool for the spine surgeon in the future.