Adjustable Loop Fiber Optic Illumination for Ocular Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical lighting systems for intraocular and endoscopic surgeries fail to provide adequate visualization of ocular tissue surface details due to direct illumination, leading to the need for vital stains and increased risk of phototoxicity, while existing wide-field systems are fixed and prone to shadows and glare.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable fiber optic illumination device with a loop portion that can change size and position to provide diffuse, side illumination, reducing the need for vital stains and minimizing phototoxicity by allowing surgeons to adjust light intensity and direction intraoperatively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If direct illumination is used to illuminate the surgical field, then the illumination intensity is sufficient, but the surgeon cannot fully visualize texture or surface irregularities
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination is segmented into multiple directions using an array of optical fibers arranged in a planar configuration. This allows light to arrive at the tissue surface from multiple angles simultaneously, creating shadows that reveal surface topography and texture while maintaining sufficient overall illumination intensity.
Solution Approach 2:
The illumination approach transitions from a single-direction (1D) beam to a multi-directional (2D/3D) array of light sources. The planar array of optical fibers distributes light across multiple spatial dimensions, enabling side illumination that highlights surface irregularities through shadow casting while preserving adequate brightness.
2Illumination intensity
If the distance between the light and the surface of the retina is reduced to improve illumination, then the illumination intensity increases, but the risk of phototoxicity to retinal photoreceptors increases
Solution Approach 1:
The single intense light source is segmented into multiple lower-intensity optical fibers arranged in a plane. This distributes the total illumination across multiple channels, allowing the probe to be positioned closer to the retina for better visualization while each individual fiber delivers reduced intensity light, collectively minimizing phototoxicity risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The illumination parameters are changed from a concentrated high-intensity beam to a distributed lower-intensity array. By altering the spatial distribution and intensity parameters of the light sources, the system achieves adequate illumination at close proximity without exceeding phototoxicity thresholds.
3Area of stationary object
If wide-field chandelier lighting systems are used to provide wide illumination, then the field of illumination increases to 100 degrees, but the system cannot provide side illumination to highlight surface texture and casts shadows when working instruments are placed in front
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of placing a single distant light source above the surgical field (chandelier configuration), the illumination sources are inverted and positioned at the tip of the probe directly at the tissue surface. This proximal multi-directional array provides both wide-field coverage and side illumination angles necessary for texture visualization without casting instrument shadows.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical fiber array acts as an intermediary that brings multiple light sources directly to the tissue surface. This intermediary structure enables simultaneous wide-field illumination and multi-angle lighting at the proximal end, eliminating the need for distant chandelier positioning and its associated limitations.
4Stability of the object's composition
If chandelier lights are repositioned during surgery to improve illumination coverage, then the illumination uniformity improves, but the device complexity and surgical time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination system transitions from a fixed distant chandelier to a dynamic proximal array that can be positioned and oriented at the tissue surface. The planar array of optical fibers provides inherent illumination uniformity through its geometric configuration, eliminating the need for repositioning while maintaining adaptability to different surgical fields.
Solution Approach 2:
The probe integrates multiple functions: it provides wide-field illumination, multi-angle lighting for texture visualization, and maintains uniform illumination distribution through its planar fiber array design. This multi-functional integration eliminates the need for separate repositioning operations required by chandelier systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances visualization of ocular tissue surface details by providing adjustable, diffuse illumination that decreases the risk of phototoxicity and eliminates the need for vital stains, while allowing for better tissue manipulation during surgeries.
Implementation Method 1
an optical fiber extending through the lumen and comprising a distal end and a proximal end
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3c
AI summary
The present disclosure provides an adjustable endoscopic surgical device for illuminating a tissue surface with diffuse and oblique light. In some embodiments, light emanates from the sides of an optical fiber, which is optionally formed at least in part into a loop shape. During intraocular or endoscopic surgery, a surgeon may need to alter both the intensity and the direction of light in order to better visualize the surgical field. Conventional light sources often work similar to a flashlight, with a directed beam that focuses light directly on a specific area.