Fluorescent Surgical Eyewear with Synchronized Shutter Viewing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge with using visible fluorescent dyes in surgical procedures is differentiating between excitation and emission spectra, which are visible to the human eye, making it difficult to distinguish between white light and fluorescent light images, particularly in viewing devices like loupes or glasses.
Innovation Solution
A viewing device with multiple modes (white light, fluorescent light, and overlay) and a shutter that opens and closes accordingly, allowing for ergonomic fluorescent viewing, especially with visible fluorescent dyes, by selectively blocking or allowing light paths based on the mode.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If visible fluorescent dyes are used for nerve visualization, then the ability to visualize biological structures is improved, but the differentiation between fluorescent signal and background light deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic alternation between white light and fluorescent light illumination, with the shutter synchronously opening and closing to allow only fluorescent light to reach the viewer's eyes during fluorescent illumination phases, enabling clear differentiation of fluorescent signals from background
Solution Approach 2:
The shutter dynamically adjusts its state (open/closed) based on the illumination phase, being closed during white light illumination and open during fluorescent light illumination, allowing adaptive control of light transmission to enhance fluorescent signal visibility
2Measurement precision
If a shutter is added to enable fluorescent viewing, then the ability to differentiate fluorescent signals is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shutter acts as an intermediary component between the light sources and the viewer's eyes, controlling light transmission based on illumination phase to enable fluorescent viewing while maintaining compatibility with standard eyewear formats
Solution Approach 2:
The viewing device maintains multiple viewing modes (white light mode, fluorescent mode, and overlay mode) through the shutter's selective operation, allowing a single device to perform multiple surgical visualization functions
3Measurement precision
If shutter open time is reduced to capture fluorescent light, then the fluorescent image quality is improved, but the white light viewing capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic illumination switching between white light and fluorescent light phases, with the shutter synchronized to each phase, allowing optimal exposure for fluorescent capture during fluorescent phases while maintaining full white light transmission during white light phases
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
Enables clear differentiation between white light and fluorescent light images, enhancing visibility of fluorescent structures while preserving ergonomic benefits of eyewear, such as loupes or glasses, by dynamically adjusting light and shutter operations.
Implementation Method 1
a shutter that opens and closes in accordance with the viewing mode
Implementation Method 2
visible fluorescent dyes (fluorescent dyes having emission spectra, and optionally excitation spectra, that are visible to the human eye)
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are viewing systems configured for viewing an image of a biological object illuminated with light and a viewing device (e.g., loupes, glasses, etc.) and methods for operation thereof. The viewing device comprises a plurality of viewing modes: a white light mode, a fluorescent light mode, and an overlay mode, and a shutter that opens and closes in accordance with the viewing mode. An overlay image is an image of the biological object when the biological object is illuminated with both white light and fluorescent light, causing the overlay image to be an overlay of the white light image and the fluorescent light image. The disclosed systems and methods allow a user (e.g., a surgeon, medical staff, etc.) to preserve the ergonomics offered by eyewear while providing fluorescent viewing capabilities, particularly with visible fluorescent dyes.