Multifunction Surgical Footswitch for Ophthalmic Laser Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical footswitch systems for ophthalmic laser surgery require a surgical assistant to manually switch the laser from a standby to a ready state, disrupting the surgical flow and requiring the surgeon to divert attention from the surgical field.
Innovation Solution
A multifunction surgical footswitch with a stand-by/ready switch and a firing switch, integrated with sensors to detect foot position and movement, allowing the surgeon to independently control the laser's state and fire it without leaving the surgical field, using a wireless or wired interface to communicate control signals to the surgical console.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a single on/off switch is used for laser firing, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates because the surgeon cannot independently control laser state changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple control functions (stand-by/ready switching and laser firing) into a single footswitch device. The footswitch includes both a stand-by/ready switch and a firing switch, allowing the surgeon to perform multiple operations from one location rather than requiring separate controls or assistant intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The footswitch is designed to perform multiple functions: it can switch the laser between stand-by and ready states, and also trigger laser firing. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate controls and enables the surgeon to independently manage both laser state changes and firing operations.
2Productivity
If the assistant manually switches the laser from standby to ready state, then the device complexity remains simple, but the productivity deteriorates due to disrupted surgical flow
Solution Approach 1:
The surgeon uses the footswitch to independently control the laser state changes without requiring assistant intervention. The footswitch enables the surgeon to self-manage the laser ready state, eliminating the need for assistant actions that disrupt surgical flow and improving overall productivity.
3Reliability
If the surgeon diverts attention to the control panel to switch laser state, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates due to attention diversion from surgical field
Solution Approach 1:
The control functions are segmented and brought to the footswitch location rather than requiring the surgeon to move to the control panel. The stand-by/ready switch and firing switch are both integrated into the footswitch, allowing the surgeon to maintain focus on the surgical field while controlling laser operations from the convenient footswitch position.
4Reliability
If a two-second delay is imposed between switching to ready state and laser firing, then the safety is improved, but the time consumption increases during procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The surgeon can advance the laser to the ready state in advance using the stand-by/ready switch on the footswitch, preparing the system for immediate firing. This preliminary action reduces the perceived delay during actual firing operations, as the laser is already prepared and ready to fire when needed, improving responsiveness while maintaining safety protocols.
Data Source
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AI summary
A multifunction surgical footswitch and an ophthalmic surgical system are disclosed comprising: a base assembly, with a shroud and a heel plate; a stand-by/ready switch attached to the base assembly and operable to provide a stand-by head control signal to switch a laser between a stand-by and a ready state; and a firing switch attached to the base assembly and operable to provide a firing control signal to fire the laser. The surgical footswitch can further comprise an interface communicatively coupled to the firing switch and the stand-by/ready switch and operable to communicate the firing and control signals to the laser. The laser can be operably coupled to a surgical console operable to control the laser, and the interface can be operable to communicatively couple the surgical footswitch to the surgical console and to communicate the firing and the stand-by/ready control signals to the surgical console.