Abstract:
A medical workstation is contained in an operating room having one or both of a double ceiling and a double floor. The medical devices forming the medical workstation are disposed in the double ceiling or in the double floor, or are distributed so that some are disposed in the double ceiling and some are disposed in the double floor. The devices are thus arranged so as not to present a hinderance to operating personnel in the operating room. A connection unit for the medical devices projects into the operating room from the double ceiling or from the double floor.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention is directed to a medical workstation formed by a number of interconnected medical devices. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Medical workstations of the above type usually have stand-alone units, for example device cabinets, that accept the various medical devices, for example an RF device or an ultrasound device. The applicators belonging to the medical devices, for example a high-frequency scalpel or an ultrasound head, are usually arranged in the proximity of a patient support of the workstation, within reach of, for example, a physician treating a patient lying on the patient bearing device. The connection of the medical devices to the appertaining applicators ensues via connecting lines laid in the treatment room containing the medical workstation. 
     Such a workstation provided for minimally invasive surgery is disclosed, for example, in German Utility Model 92 18 373. The workstation has a mobile apparatus cabinet placed immediately next to a patient support of the workstation, the medical devices required for the operation being accepted in this mobile device cabinet. The workstation is also provided with a patient connection panel that is connected to the medical devices in the device cabinet via a supply conduit and to which applicators of the medical devices can be connected. 
     It has proven disadvantageous that such a device cabinet in known workstations generally occupies space, with only limited space being available in the treatment room containing the workstation. Particularly if the device cabinet is disposed directly next to the patient support, the cabinet presents a hinderance since it limits the space needed for the freedom of movement and action of a physician during the treatment of a patient. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a medical workstation of the type initially described wherein the medical devices can be arranged in a room containing the workstation so that the space for movement and action required, for example, by a physician for the treatment of a patient is not restricted. 
     According to the invention, this object is achieved in a medical workstation having medical devices that are disposed in a double ceiling and/or in a double floor of a room containing the workstation. The medical devices of the inventive workstation are thus no longer arranged in a device cabinet that occupies space, for example, in a treatment or operating room, but in a double ceiling and/or in a double floor of the treatment or operating room. In this way, the devices are removed from the movement and action space of, for example, a physician or an operating team and do not limit the movement and action space in the treatment of a patient. The devices also can be partly or even completely (i.e., not visible from the outside) integrated into the double ceiling or into the double floor. The devices can be arranged only in the double floor, only in the double ceiling or both in the double floor as well as in the double ceiling. 
     In one version of the invention the workstation has at least one connection unit connected to the medical devices and projecting from the double ceiling or from the double floor into the room. This connection unit is provided with connections for the applicators and/or operating and/or display devices belonging to the medical devices. The connection unit for the applicators and/or operating and/or display devices of the medical devices offers the advantage that none of the applicators of the individual medical devices or the operating and display devices must be respectively directly connected to the corresponding medical devices, but simply can be connected to this connection unit, that is preferably arranged so as to be easily accessible in the room and favorable in location with reference to the patient on the patient support mechanism. The connection unit usually requires little space and is thus barely a disturbing factor in the treatment of a patient. Different connection units can be provided for different device groups of medical devices. For example, separate connection units can be provided for anesthesia devices and for surgical devices, respectively. 
     In another version of the invention, the connection unit and the medical devices form a device center that is displaceable, with the connection unit moving within the room and the medical devices moving in the double ceiling or in the double floor. In this way, the device center can be adapted to different treatment situations, i.e. can be positioned in a suitable way relative to a patient to be treated who is, for example, on a patient support mechanism, so that a physician can work in a relaxed and comfortable way at the workstation. Long connecting lines between the connection unit and the applicators of the medical devices utilized in the operating site, that are complicated to manipulate in a surgical intervention, thus are avoided. There is also the possibility that, for example, anesthesia devices together with a connection unit form an anesthesia center and surgical and/or diagnostic devices of the workstation together with a further connection unit form a surgery center, both of which are adjustable relative to one another and, for example given a surgical intervention, can be respectively placed relative to a patient support mechanism at locations which are beneficial in view of the type of surgery to be conducted. 
     In another embodiment of the invention only the connection unit is adjustable relative to the medical devices, namely within the room. In this embodiment of the invention, thus, the medical devices need not be displaced together with the connection unit in order, for example, to make it possible for a physician to work in a comfortable and relaxed way at the workstation. Rather, the medical devices are stationarily arranged and only the connection unit is selectively placed relative to, for example, a patient on a patient support mechanism in conformity with a treatment situation. Connecting lines between the connection unit and the applicators of the medical devices utilized at the operating site that are long and difficult to manipulate thus are avoided. 
     In a further version of the invention the medical workstation is provided with a system for climate control and/or air circulation in the room containing the workstation, with the components of such a system also being disposed in the double ceiling and/or in the double floor of the room containing the workstation. This embodiment has the advantage that the components for climate control and/or air circulation are arranged outside the motion and action space of, for example, a physician, so that these components do not occupy any space in the room and thus do not have a disturbing effect on the treatment of a patient. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of a workstation in accordance with the invention, wherein devices of the workstation are disposed in a double ceiling of an operating room. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of a second embodiment of a workstation in accordance with the invention wherein devices are disposed in a double floor of an operating room. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic view from above of a portion of the second embodiment of the workstation of FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     This embodiment of the inventive medical workstation shown in FIG. 1 is a surgical workstation that is located in an operating room OP with a double ceiling DD. 
     The workstation includes a patient support mechanism in the form of a patient support table  1 . The patient support table  1  is provided with a patient support plate  2  arranged on a lifting column  3 , a patient B lying thereon in this exemplary embodiment. The lifting column  3  of the patient support table  1  is arranged on the floor B of the operating room OP. 
     An operating lamp  4  is arranged at the double ceiling DD above the patient bearing table  1 . 
     Inventively, a device  5  for climate control of the operating room OP, a device  6  for circulating air in the operating room OP, and medical devices are arranged in the double ceiling DD. 
     In the exemplary embodiment, the medical devices are of anesthesia devices arranged in a first device center  7  and surgical and diagnostic devices arranged in a second device  8 . 
     In the exemplary embodiment, a respiration device  9 , a device  10  for delivering anesthesia gases, a device  11  for monitoring the body functions of the patient P and a control computer  12  are arranged in the device center  7  provided for the anesthesia devices. The devices  9 ,  10 ,  11  are connected to the control computer  12  via a communication bus in a known way that is not shown. A connection unit  13  is allocated to the device center  7 , this connection unit  13  being attached to an articulated arm  14  provided with horizontally and vertically adjustable articulations. The connection unit  13  is connected to the devices  9 ,  10 ,  11  and to the control computer  12  via connecting lines  15  and is provided with corresponding connectors  16  for applicators, for an operating and display station for the devices  9 ,  10 ,  11  and/or for the control computer  12 . In the exemplary embodiment, one applicator is a hose conduit  17  having a mask or intubation system (not shown) for respiration and delivery of anesthesia gases to the patient P, that is connected to a corresponding connector  16  of the connection unit  13 , which in turn is connected to the respiration device  9  and the device  10  for delivering anesthesia gases. Another application is a cuff  18  attached to the arm of the patient P for determining body functions, for example the blood pressure of the patient P. The cuff  18  is connected via a connecting cable  19  to a connector  16  of the connection unit  13  which is in turn connected to the device  11 . Moreover, a monitor  20  and a control panel  22  are connected via connecting cables  21 ,  45  to respective connectors  16  of the connection unit  13 , which are in turn connected to the control computer  12  that controls the devices  9 ,  10 ,  11  of the device center  11  and exchanges data with the devices  9 ,  19 ,  11 . The monitor  20  displays data relating to the anesthesia and the life functions of the patient P, for displaying status information of the devices,  10 ,  11 ,  12  and for displaying operating menus of the devices  10 ,  11 ,  12  that can be selected via the control panel  22 . 
     In the exemplary embodiment, an RF device  23 , an ultrasound device  24 , a rinse/suction pump controller  25 , a cold light source  26  and a control computer  27  are integrated in the device center  8  provided for surgical and diagnostic devices, the devices  23  through  26  being connected to the control computer  27  via a communication bus (not shown). The control computer  27  has a higher hierarchical ranking than the devices  23  through  26 ; the control computer  27  exchanges data with the devices  23  through  26  and correspondingly drives them. A connection unit  28  that is attached to an articulated arm  29  provided with horizontally and vertically adjustable articulations is allocated to the device center  8 . A connection unit  28  is connected to the devices  23  through  26  and to the control computer  27  via connecting lines  30  and is provided with corresponding connectors  31  for applicators, an operating and display station for the devices  23  through  26  and/or for the control computer  27 . In the exemplary embodiment, a high-frequency scalpel  32 , an ultrasound head  33 , a cold light  34 , a rinse/suction applicator  35 , a monitor  36  and a control panel  37  are connected via connecting lines  38  through  43  to corresponding connectors  31  of the connection unit  28 . Like the control panel  37 , the monitor  36  is connected to the control computer  27  via the connection unit  28 . The monitor  36  serves for displaying image information of, for example, the ultrasound device  24 , for displaying status information and operating menus of the devices  23  through  26  that can be selected via the control panel  37 . The applicators  32  through  35 , the monitor  36  and the control panel  37  are arranged on a device carriage  44 . 
     In the exemplary embodiment of the inventive medical workstation shown in FIG. 1, thus, the device  5  for climate control of the operating room OP, the device  6  for air circulation in the operating room OP and the medical devices of the device centers  7  and  8  are arranged in the double ceiling DD of the operating room OP and thus are located outside the motion and action space of, for example, an operating team composed of surgeons, anesthesiologists, operating room nurses and operating room attendants during a surgical intervention at the patient P. The connection units  13  and  28  of the device centers  7  and  8  are arranged at the articulated arms  14 ,  29  so as to be adjustable relative to the patient bearing table  1 , or the patient P, so that they can be selectively arranged at locations relative to the patient P that are most beneficial for allowing relaxed and comfortable work of the operating team in the context of the particular operation which is to be conducted. 
     FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the inventive medical work station, wherein components of the workstation that are substantially structurally and functionally the same as components of the workstation in FIG. 1 are provided with the same reference numerals. 
     Differing from the medical workstation shown in FIG. 1, the medical workstation shown in FIG. 2 has a double floor DB in addition to the double ceiling DD. In addition to the device  5  for climate control of the operating room OP integrated in the double ceiling DD, a second device  46  for climate control of the operating room OP is arranged in the double floor DB of the operating room OP. 
     As in the case of the medical workstation shown in FIG. 1, a device center  47  for anesthesia devices and a device center  48  for surgical and diagnostic devices are provided in the medical workstation shown in FIG. 2, these being arranged in the double floor DB of the operating room OP in the exemplary embodiment. 
     As in the exemplary embodiment described above, a respiration device  9 , a device  10  for delivering anesthesia gases, a device  10  for monitoring the body functions of the patient P and a control computer  12  are arranged in the device center  47  provided for the anesthesia devices, whereby the devices  9 ,  10 ,  11  are again connected via a communication bus (not shown) to the control computer  12  that controls the devices  9 ,  10 ,  11 . A connection unit  49  that projects from the double floor DB into the operating room OP through an opening  50  is arranged at the device center  47 . The connection unit  49  is connected to the devices  9 ,  10 ,  11  and to the control computer  12  via connecting lines  15  and is provided with connectors  51  for applicators and an operating and display station for the devices  9 ,  10 ,  11  and/or for the control computer  12 . 
     As in the exemplary embodiment described above, a RF device  23 , an ultrasound device  24 , a rinse/suction pump control  25 , a cold light source  26  and a control computer  27  are integrated in the device center  48  provided for the surgical and diagnostic devices, the devices  23  through  26  being connected via a communication bus (not shown) to the control computer  27  that controls the devices  23  through  26 . A stand  52  for a connection unit  53  that extends through an opening  54  of the double floor DB is arranged at the device center  48 . As in the exemplary described above, the connection unit  53  is connected to the devices  23  through  26  and to the control computer  27  via connecting lines  30  and is provided with corresponding connectors  55  for applicators and for an operating and display station for the devices  23  through  26  and/or for the control computer  27 . As in the exemplary embodiment described above, a high-frequency scalpel  32 , an ultrasound head  33 , a cold light  34 , a rinse/suction applicator  35 , a monitor  36  and a control panel  37  are connected via connecting lines  38  through  43  to corresponding connectors  55  of the connection unit  53 . 
     In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the device centers  47 ,  48  of the medical devices are provided with wheels  56 , so that they are displaceable on the wheels  56  in the double floor DB. Given displacement movements of the device centers  47 ,  48 , the connection units  49 ,  53  move within the operating room OP as the device centers  47 ,  48  move in the double floor DB. In a schematic view from above, FIG. 3 shows a part of the workstation of FIG.  2 . FIG. 3 shows that, in the exemplary embodiment, the openings  50 ,  54  are annular openings through which the connection unit  49  or the stand  52  of the connection unit  53  extends. The connection units  49 ,  53  of the device centers  47 ,  48  are thereby adjustable along the annular openings  50 ,  54 , as the device centers  47 ,  48 , rigidly connected to the connection units  49 ,  53 , are moved. Whereas the connection units  49 ,  53  move within the operating room OP, the movement of the device centers  47 ,  48  takes place in the double floor DB. The device centers  47 ,  48  in the exemplary embodiment are implemented such that they are conducted past one another on circular paths and cannot collide with one another. 
     In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the devices  5 ,  46  for the climate control of the operating room OP, the device  6  for air circulation in the operating room OP, and the medical devices of the device centers  47 ,  48  are arranged outside the motion and action space of an operating team working at the medical workstation, and thus do not restrict the action and motion space of the operating team during a surgical procedure. 
     The above exemplary embodiments of the inventive workstation are only described as an example and are not the only ways of implementing the invention. Within the context of the invention, for example, it is possible to form mixed versions of any type of the workstations shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     Thus, for example, the medical devices of the workstation shown in FIG. 1 can also be arranged in a double floor DB and the connection unit can be arranged, for example, at a holding mechanism adjustable at the double floor DB that is adjustably mounted at the wall or at the patient support table  1 . The holding mechanism need not be an articulated arm or arranged at a displaceable holder, for example a carriage. 
     Further, a number of device centers with medical devices can be arranged in the double floor DB as well as in the double ceiling DD. It is also possible to arrange all of the medical devices in only one device center, or distributed in the double floor DB, as well as in the double ceiling DD. 
     Moreover, the device centers  47 ,  48  shown in FIG. 2, or only one of the device centers  47 ,  48 , can be arranged in the double ceiling DD and can be adjustable on wheels in the double ceiling DD, for example as in the case of FIG.  2 . 
     The device centers need not necessarily be displaceable on wheels but can be guided, for example, on rails. The coupling of the device centers to the connection units need not necessarily be mechanically rigid but, for example, can be magnetic. In this way, an adjustment of the connection unit in the operating OP can effect a corresponding adjustment of the device center in the double floor DB, in the double ceiling DD, as a result of the magnetic coupling to the appertaining device center. 
     The adjustment path of the device centers need not necessarily be circular as in the case of the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, but can alternatively be elliptical or, when expedient, can proceed on a curved line. 
     In the case, for example, of the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, further, the device  6  for air circulation can be arranged in the double floor DB or an additional device for air circulation can be provided in the double floor DB. 
     Further, a double ceiling DD need not necessarily be present; rather, only a double floor DB can be present wherein the devices provided for climate control and air circulation and the medical devices are correspondingly arranged. 
     The devices for climate control and/or air circulation of the operating room OP, as well as the medical devices, moreover, need not be completely integrated into the double floor DB, into the double ceiling DD, but can partially project therefrom. 
     The inventive workstation also need not necessarily simultaneously include devices in the groups of medical devices, devices for climate control and devices for air circulation but can instead include only one or two groups of devices that are arranged in the double floor DB and/or in the double ceiling DD. 
     Further, the connection unit also need not simultaneously include connectors for applicators and for an operating and display station but can, for example, only have connectors for applicators or a display. Other arbitrary connection combinations are possible. 
     The operating devices can not only be control panels but can be a joy stick, a track ball, a light pin, a computer mouse or a touch screen. 
     The inventive workstation has been explained in detail herein with reference to a surgical workstation, however, the inventive medical workstation is not limited to surgery. 
     The present invention is subject to many variations, modifications and changes in detail. It is intended that all matter described throughout the specification and shown in the accompanying drawings be considered illustrative only. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.