Operating room magnifier

An operating room magnifier is adapted to utilize an operating room light source and may be sterilized to allow use on a sterile field. The magnifier comprises a base, a neck, and a lens frame. The lens frame holds a lens and receives a light connected to the light source, providing a light beam to an object held under the magnifying glass. The light source may be a known fiber optics light source commonly used in operating rooms, or a special dedicated light source. The magnifier is particularly useful in identifying microsurgical instruments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to magnifiers and in particular to a sterile magnifier for operating room use.

Modern surgery often involves reconstruction of very small and detailed structures. Such reconstruction procedures often require delicate manipulation of tissue and/or bone using very specialized and tools (e.g., microsurgical instruments) having very small working ends, which are difficult to distinguish with the naked eye. Surgical technicians and others are required to properly identify multiple specific microsurgical instruments used during each step of such procedures. The surgical technicians must be able to quickly and properly identify and handle these microsurgical tools throughout a procedure and failure to quickly and properly identify microsurgical tools may lengthen the procedure, make the surgeon's job more difficult, or degrade the results. Unfortunately, increasing the length of such procedures may be a detriment to a patient's recovery or even place the patient's life at risk, for example when internal bleeding must be stopped.

Some medical procedures, for example a cataract extraction or other ophthalmic surgery, are generally performed with lights turned off in an operating room. The only lights that remain on are the microscope lights that the surgeon is using to provide light to perform the procedure. In this instance, lights normally provided for viewing instruments are not available. As a result, instrument selection is hampered by the difficulty in distinguishing specific instruments. The low light level may also make selection of a medicine difficult.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing an operating room magnifier which is adapted to utilize a known operating room light source and may be sterilized to allow use on a sterile field. The magnifier comprises a base, a neck, and a lens frame. The lens frame holds a lens and receives a light at an end of the light source, providing a light beam to an object held under the magnifying glass. The light source may be a known fiber optics light source commonly used in operating rooms, or a special dedicated light source. The magnifier is particularly useful in identifying microsurgical instruments.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an operating room magnifier. The magnifier comprises a base for supporting the magnifier, a lens holder, and a neck for mechanically connecting the lens holder to the base. A lens is held by the lens holder and a light adapter resides in the lens holder and is adapted to hold a common operating room fiber optics light, and to direct a light beam from the light to an area under the lens to illuminate an object being viewed through the lens. The magnifier is suitable for sterilization using common operating room sterilization methods.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided an operating room magnifier. The magnifier comprises a base for supporting the magnifier, a lens holder, and a neck for mechanically connecting the lens holder to the base. A lens is held by the lens holder. The lens holder is adapted to hold a light and to direct a light beam from the light to an area under the lens to illuminate an object being viewed through the lens. The magnifier is autoclave compatible for sterilization. Further, the lens is easily removable and replaceable for sterilization separate from the lens holder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An operating room magnifier10according to the present invention is shown inFIG. 1. The magnifier10includes a base12, a neck14, and a lens holder16. The neck14connects the lens holder16to the base12. The lens holder16holds a lens18which allows magnification of an object32, for example a microsurgical instrument, held under the lens18.

Because some surgical procedures require a dark operating room, a light adapter20is provided to hold a light24. The light adapter20is adapted to hold the light24and direct a light beam30from the light24to an area under the lens18to illuminate the object32being viewed through the lens18. A preferred light24is provided by a fiber optics light source or a Light Emitting Diode (LED) light source. A more preferred light is provided by a fiber optics light source, and a most preferred light is provided by a common operating room fiber optics light source. An example of a common operating room fiber optics light source is an Light Source made by Medovations Inc. In Milwaukee, Wis. The light24is connected by, for example, a fiber optics cable26to a light source28. While the magnifier is described herein with a fiber optics light source, the present invention is intended to encompass magnifiers with any light suitable for use in an operating room.

The lens18is preferably approximately four inches in diameter and the neck14is preferably approximately eight inches long. The lens holder16and the base12are preferably made from metal and more preferably from aluminum, and preferably have a polished finish. The base12is preferably made from a solid material with sufficient weight to stably support the neck14and lens holder16. The neck14is preferably made from stainless steel flex. The magnifier10is suitable for sterilization using common operating room sterilization methods, and the magnifier10is preferably autoclave compatible for sterilization.

A magnifier according to the present invention may also be used in a home or office. In such uses, an LED light source may be preferred. An example of an LED light source is a Miniature LED Illuminator made by Stockeryale, Inc. in Salem, N.H. Because sterilization will not be required in the home or office, the magnifier may be constructed from materials used commonly in the home or office. For example, the neck14may be constructed from aluminum. The home or office magnifier may have a finish comprising chrome plating, brass plating, copper plating, enamel, baked enamel, E-coat, or vinyl clad.

A front view of the magnifier10is shown inFIG. 2A, a side view of the magnifier10is shown inFIG. 2B, and a top view of the magnifier10is shown inFIG. 2C. A cable holder27is attached to the12to allow the fiber optics cable26(seeFIG. 1) to be held securely.

A cross-sectional view of the magnifier10taken along line3-3ofFIG. 2Awith the light adapter20removed from the lens holder16is shown inFIG. 3and a partial cross-sectional view of the magnifier10taken along line3-3ofFIG. 2Awith the light adapter20residing in the lens holder16is shown inFIG. 3A. The light adapter20includes a thumbscrew22which may be used to hold a light24(seeFIG. 1) in place to direct a light beam30from the light24to an area under the lens18to illuminate an object32being viewed through the lens18. The mouth34includes a mouth step34aand the adapter20includes an adapter step42. The adapter step42is seen seated against the mouth step inFIG. 3A.

A first end portion14aof the neck14is removably insertable into a first neck receptacle44a(seeFIG. 16) in the base12, and a second end portion of the neck14bis insertable into a second neck receptacle44b(seeFIG. 13) in the lens holder16, wherein set screws36intersect the receptacles44aand44bto hold the end portions14aand14bof the neck14in place in the receptacles44aand44b. The neck14end portions14aand14bare shown inFIG. 3B. The end portions14aand14bare preferably approximately 0.5 inches in diameter and approximately one inch long. A neck center portion14cis preferably approximately 0.38 inches in diameter.

A perspective view of the light adapter20is shown inFIG. 4, a side view of the light adapter20is shown inFIG. 5, and an end view of the light adapter20is shown inFIG. 5A. A cross-sectional view of the light adapter20along line6-6ofFIG. 5Ais shown inFIG. 6. The light adapter20includes a threaded thumbscrew passage37to allow the thumbscrew22(seeFIG. 3) to be advanced against the light24to hold the light24in the light adapter20. The light adapter20further includes a shoulder42to position the light24in the light adapter20, and an o-ring groove21bfor seating an o-ring21a(seeFIG. 6A) on the light adapter20. For use with one common size light24, a greater inner diameter D1of the light adapter20is preferably approximately 0.45 inches and a lesser inner diameter D2of the light adapter20is preferably approximately 0.31 inches. For use with another common size light, the lesser inner diameter D2of a mouth40of the light adapter20is preferably approximately 2 mm or less. The light adapter20is thus sized to accept a common operating room fiber optics light. The light adapter20includes a stepped down portion17for insertion into the adapter mouth23(seeFIG. 3) having an outside diameter D3of preferably approximately 0.543 inches and is preferably approximately 0.6 inches long and includes o-ring groove21b.

The o-ring21ais shown inFIG. 7. The o-ring21a provides an interference fit between the light adapter20and the adapter mouth34to hold the light adapter20in the adapter mouth34.

A perspective view of a universal adapter20ais shown inFIG. 8, a side view of the universal adapter20ais shown inFIG. 9A, and an end view of the universal adapter20ais shown inFIG. 9B. The universal adapter20ais suitable for adapting a variety of lights24associated with light sources commonly found in an operating room and includes the stepped down portion17with the o-ring groove21bfor holding the universal adapter20ain the adapter mouth34(seeFIG. 3). A second light receptacle40ais preferably approximately 0.3 inches in diameter. A cross-sectional view of the universal adapter20ataken along line10-10ofFIG. 9Ais shown inFIG. 10. An optical diffuser19resides inside the universal adapter20ato provide the light beam30(seeFIG. 1) from the light24. The diffuser19is preferably approximately 0.9 inches long, is preferably approximately 0.3 inches in diameter (i.e., approximately the same diameter as the light receptacle40a), and is preferably made from glass or acrylic.

A perspective view of a bottom surface of the lens holder16is shown inFIG. 11, a bottom view of the lens holder16is shown inFIG. 12, and a cross-sectional view of the lens holder16taken along line13-13ofFIG. 12is shown inFIG. 13. The lens18is preferably held in the lens holder16using a three point mount preferably comprising threaded holes48, lens washers50, and lens screws52, allowing easy removal and replacement of the lens18for sterilization or for selection of a lens18with a magnification preferred by a nurse or surgical technician. While a three point mounting system has been described here, the lens may be attached to the lens holder in any appropriate manner allowing removal and replacement. A threaded set screw passage38approximately perpendicular to the neck receptacle44bto allow a set screw to be advanced against the second neck end portion14b.

A preferred lens is preferably adapted to be sterilized using an Ethylene Oxide gas sterilizer, such as the AN74i/Anprolen made by Andersen Products in Haw River, N.C. The lens holder16, neck14, and base12may also be sterilized using an Ethylene Oxide gas sterilizer, or by other suitable sterilizers, for example, a steam sterilizer. The lens holder16includes an adapter mouth34includes a mouth shoulder34ato position the light adapter20in the lens holder16.

While a preferred embodiment of the magnifier10includes a light24mounted to the lens holder16, the light24may be mounted to the magnifier10in any manner which provides a light beam30on an object32positioned for viewing under the lens18. Any magnifier adapted for sterilization and including a mounting or adapter for thus holding a light is intended to come within the scope of the present invention.

A perspective view of the base12is shown inFIG. 14, a top view of the base12is shown inFIG. 15, and a cross-sectional view of the base12taken along line16-16ofFIG. 15is shown inFIG. 16. The neck receptacle44aincludes a receptacle shoulder46to position the neck14within the neck receptacle44b, and a threaded set screw passage38approximately perpendicular to the neck receptacle44ato allow a set screw to be advanced against the first neck end portion14a.

A bottom perspective view of the magnifier10is shown inFIG. 17. The lens washers50and lens screws52are shown holding the lens18in the lens holder16. The universal adapter20ais shown residing in the adapter mouth34(seeFIG. 13).