Strobed Illumination for Ophthalmic Tissue Visualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microsurgical procedures, particularly ophthalmic surgeries, face challenges in visualizing tissue movement due to the pulsatile nature of conventional cutting probes, which obscures the actual amplitude and shape of moving tissue, making precise cutting and removal difficult.
Innovation Solution
A surgical system that operates a cutting probe at a first frequency and a strobed light source at a second frequency, different from the probe's frequency, to slow down the apparent tissue movement, allowing surgeons to better evaluate the tissue during procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a pneumatic system drives the cutting portion of the microsurgical cutting probe at high cutting frequencies, then the cutting efficiency and productivity are improved, but the tissue appears blurry and the visualization precision deteriorates due to synchronous pulsatile movement at the same frequency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by using a strobe light that illuminates the tissue at a frequency different from the cutting probe frequency. This creates a temporal sampling effect where the high-frequency cutting motion is visualized as slow-moving or stationary positions, allowing surgeons to see tissue clearly while maintaining high cutting speeds. The strobe light periodically freezes the motion of pulsating tissue at different phases, transforming the blur into discrete visible positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the frequency parameter of the illumination source to be different from the cutting probe frequency. By adjusting the strobe frequency relative to the cutting frequency, the system transforms the visualization of tissue motion from a continuous blur to discrete frozen positions. This parameter change allows the same cutting frequency to be maintained while achieving clear visualization through frequency desynchronization.
2Manufacturing precision
If the surgical probe operates at high frequency to perform precise cutting, then the surgical precision is improved, but the tissue movement becomes imperceptible and the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The strobe light provides periodic illumination at a frequency that creates a visual effect of slowed or frozen tissue motion. This periodic sampling allows surgeons to observe tissue at discrete moments during the cutting cycle, making high-frequency precise cutting operations visible and controllable without reducing the cutting speed or precision.
3Illumination intensity
If continuous light is used to illuminate the tissue, then the illumination intensity is sufficient, but the moving tissue cannot be evaluated and the loss of information increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces continuous illumination with periodic strobe illumination. This periodic action creates a stroboscopic effect that freezes the motion of pulsating tissue at different phases, transforming continuous motion into discrete visible positions. The strobe frequency is chosen to create a visual effect where tissue appears slow-moving or stationary, preserving all tissue evaluation information while maintaining adequate illumination intensity.
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 system improves visualization of moving tissue, enabling surgeons to perform precise operations by presenting tissue motion at a slower, perceivable frequency, thereby enhancing surgical precision and safety.
Implementation Method 1
illuminate the moving anatomy with a strobed light source that is operated at a different frequency than the surgical probe operation
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems, and methods for visualizing moving tissue with strobed light are provided. A surgical system includes a surgical device configured to operate on anatomy at a first frequency such that the anatomy moves at the first frequency when the surgical device is in contact therewith; and a light source configured to provide pulses of light at a second frequency to illuminate the moving anatomy; wherein the second frequency is different than the first frequency. A method of treating an ophthalmic condition includes operating a surgical device at a first frequency such that anatomy moves at the first frequency when the surgical device is contacted therewith; and controlling a light source to provide pulses of light at a second frequency to illuminate the moving anatomy; wherein the second frequency is different than the first frequency. An ophthalmic surgical system includes a cutting probe, a strobed light source, and a computing device.