Sterilizable LED Surgical Light with Integrated Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical lighting in operating rooms faces challenges such as breaks in sterile technique due to wiring and tubing, limited visualization of deep surgical sites, and the need for additional lighting sources that are cumbersome and difficult to position accurately.
Innovation Solution
A compact, sterilizable lighting device with a light-emitting diode (LED) enclosed in a plastic casing, which can be attached to retractors or suction tips, providing directed illumination without wires and allowing for secure positioning within the surgical field.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If overhead lights are used for surgical illumination, then the surgical field is illuminated, but the surgeon's head blocks the light and visualization is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from overhead illumination (vertical dimension) to head-mounted illumination (wearer's perspective dimension), allowing light to reach the surgical field from the surgeon's viewpoint without being blocked by the head itself
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces fiber optic cables as intermediaries to transmit light from an external source through the headband to the surgical field, bypassing the obstruction caused by the surgeon's head position
2Illumination intensity
If a headlight is attached to the surgeon's head for improved visualization, then illumination is brought closer to the surgical field, but the device is heavy and cumbersome and does not stay in place
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the heavy power source and ballast from the head-mounted portion, placing them in a separate carry-case or external location, leaving only lightweight fiber optic cables and light-emitting components on the surgeon's head
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system is divided into separate functional modules: a lightweight head-mounted unit with fiber optics, an external power source with ballast, and a carry-case for transport, allowing the surgeon to wear only the essential illumination components
3Illumination intensity
If lighted retractors or fiber optic cables are used to bring light to the surgical field, then illumination is improved, but the risk of breaking sterile technique increases due to additional wiring and tubing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable fiber optic cables and sterile headbands that are discarded after single use, eliminating the need to repeatedly sterilize equipment and reducing the risk of contamination from reusable wiring and tubing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes all electrical wiring and power sources from the sterile surgical field, confining them to non-sterile external equipment, thereby eliminating a major source of sterile technique breaches
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
The solution enhances visualization in deep surgical sites, reduces the risk of sterile technique breaches, and provides a cost-effective, adjustable, and thermally benign lighting solution that meets the requirements for surgical applications.
Implementation Method 1
The lighting device can include a light-emitting diode (LED)
Implementation Method 2
associated electronics, such as a circuit board, power source, and heat sink
Data Source
AI summary
A self-contained, sterilizable, compact light which does not include external wiring or power accessories is described herein. The lighting device is particularly useful in specialized lighting applications such as surgical applications. The lighting device preferably includes an LED and power source within a casing and can be attached in positions or on instruments within the surgical field. Alternately, the LED may be located on a suction tip while the power source and other electronics are located proximally on a handle of a suction device.