Lighttight Eye Shielding Box for Scotopic ERG Under Anesthesia
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of performing an electroretinogram (ERG) on babies and children aged between five months and seven years is exacerbated by the need for dark adaptation conditions incompatible with general anesthesia and the illuminated environment of an operating theatre, necessitating a system that can shield the eye from incident light while allowing safe patient monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A light shielding system comprising a lighttight shielding box with an adjustable head connection assembly and a flexible cover, designed to enclose the eye and accommodate a Ganzfeld stimulator, ensuring compliance with ISCEV guidelines for scotopic testing and enabling safe monitoring during anesthesia.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a standard Ganzfeld stimulator is used for scotopic ERG testing, then dark adaptation conditions are achieved, but the system cannot be used in an illuminated operating theatre environment
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the eye shielding function into a portable hand-held unit that can be independently positioned over the patient's eye, separating the dark adaptation function from the need for complete environmental darkness. This allows the eye to be shielded from incident light while the operating theatre remains illuminated.
Solution Approach 2:
The hand-held Ganzfeld stimulator acts as an intermediary device that creates a localized dark adaptation zone over the eye without requiring the entire operating theatre to be darkened. It mediates between the need for scotopic conditions and the need for illuminated monitoring environment.
2Ease of operation
If general anesthesia is administered to facilitate testing in young children, then patient cooperation is achieved, but dark adaptation conditions become incompatible with the anaesthetic environment
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the dark adaptation requirement from the overall environmental conditions by using a portable hand-held unit that can be positioned over the eye independently. This allows general anesthesia to be administered in a normally illuminated operating theatre while still achieving the necessary dark adaptation conditions for the eye.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the spatial parameter of dark adaptation from requiring complete environmental darkness to creating a localized dark zone over the eye. This parameter change allows compatibility with illuminated operating theatre environments while maintaining the essential dark adaptation condition for the retina.
3Measurement precision
If the operating theatre is darkened to meet scotopic test requirements, then ERG testing accuracy is improved, but patient monitoring safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the lighting requirements by creating a localized dark adaptation zone over the eye using a hand-held unit, rather than darkening the entire operating theatre. This allows accurate ERG testing while maintaining illuminated conditions for safe patient monitoring and anesthesia administration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies dark adaptation conditions locally to the eye region only, rather than throughout the entire operating environment. The hand-held Ganzfeld stimulator creates a focused dark zone that provides the necessary scotopic conditions for accurate measurement while the rest of the operating theatre remains illuminated for monitoring safety.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a portable hand-held Ganzfeld stimulator is used, then adaptability to different environments is improved, but the shielding effectiveness may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The hand-held Ganzfeld stimulator employs a flexible cup structure that can conform to the patient's face and eye contours. This flexible design creates an effective light-tight seal while maintaining portability and adaptability to different operating environments and patient positions.
Data Source
AI summary
A light shielding system configured to shield at least one eye of a patient from incident light for an electroretinogram includes a substantially lighttight shielding box enclosing an inner space arranged to receive a handheld Ganzfeld stimulator, which box is mountable over the at least one eye of the patient; the box including at least one sleeve extending into the box to allow manipulation of the Ganzfeld stimulator.