Patent Application
20200100860
The present invention relates generally to an indication system for encroachment or contact of an object, and, more particularly, to a surgical lighting system sterile field encroachment indicator.
Contamination of sterile surgical sites costs hospitals between ten and twenty thousand dollars per incident. These costs cannot be reimbursed. In particular, light handle contamination rates are high. This contamination often occurs through contact with an operative team member's cap or headgear. If the contamination is not detected, additional contact of the contaminated site by an operative team member could spread the contamination to the hands or other areas of the operative team member. The spread of contamination could inevitably lead to contamination of a surgical patient, tools used to operate on the surgical patient, or other areas of the surgical site.
Generally, the surgical staff relies on a circulating nurse to determine when a sterile field is inadvertently breached. Upon observation of the breach, the circulating nurse is charged to take appropriate remedial action. However, even though this is a primary task of the circulating nurse, it is quite possible for the breach to go partially or completely unnoticed.
The present invention provides an improved system and method for identifying and indicating that a sterile surgical lighting system has been contacted or encroached upon.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a sterile field encroachment indicator apparatus for a surgical lighting system. The apparatus includes one or more encroachment indicators, one or more sensor units, and one or more controllers. The encroachment indicators are configured to indicate encroachment of a predetermined proximity to a surgical lighthead by a foreign entity and contact of the encroaching foreign entity with the surgical lighthead. The surgical lighthead is configured to provide illumination in order to illuminate a surgical environment. The sensor units are positioned in the surgical lighthead, and are configured to sense proximity of the foreign entity to the surgical lighthead and the contact of the encroaching foreign entity with the surgical lighthead. The controllers are configured to control the encroachment indicators based on the sensed proximity of the foreign entity to the surgical lighthead and the sensed contact of the foreign entity with the surgical lighthead. The controllers are further configured to activate the encroachment indicators when the sensor units sense that the foreign entity has encroached the predetermined proximity to the surgical lighthead or has contacted the surgical lighthead.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of indicating an encroachment of a sterile field of a surgical lighthead of a surgical lighting system. A proximity of a foreign entity to the surgical lighthead is sensed, along with contact of the foreign entity with the surgical lighthead. Then, when encroachment of a predetermined proximity to the surgical lighthead by the foreign entity is sensed, encroachment of the predetermined proximity to the surgical lighthead by the foreign entity is indicated by activating one or more encroachment indicators of the surgical lighting system. In addition, when contact of the foreign entity with the surgical lighthead is sensed, contact of the foreign entity with the surgical lighthead is indicated by activating one or more of the encroachment indicators of the surgical lighting system. The indications are controlled based on the sensed proximity of the foreign entity to the surgical lighthead and the sensed contact of the foreign entity with the surgical lighthead.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a surgical lighting system. The surgical lighting system includes a surgical lighthead, one or more encroachment indicators, and one or more controllers. The surgical lighthead includes a plurality of groups of surgical light sources, a central hub, an outer ring, a neck, a handle, and one or more sensor units. The plurality of groups of surgical light sources is configured to emit light through translucent materials to illuminate a surgical environment. A first of the groups of surgical light sources is positioned within the central hub. The central hub has a translucent hub portion through which the first of the groups of surgical light sources is configured to emit light to illuminate the surgical environment. A second of the groups of surgical light sources is positioned within the outer ring that surrounds the central hub. The outer ring has a translucent ring portion through which the second of the groups of surgical light sources is configured to emit light to illuminate the surgical environment. The neck connects the central hub to the outer ring. The handle extends away from the neck. The handle is covered by a translucent handle skin. The sensor units are positioned in the one or more of the central hub, the outer ring, and the handle, and are configured to sense proximity of the foreign entity to the one or more of the central hub, the outer ring, and the handle and the contact of the encroaching foreign entity with the one or more of the central hub, the outer ring, and the handle. The encroachment indicators are configured to indicate encroachment of a predetermined proximity to the one or more of the central hub, the outer ring, and handle by the foreign entity and contact of the encroaching foreign entity with the one or more of the central hub, the outer ring, and the handle. The controllers are configured to control the encroachment indicators based on the sensed proximity of the foreign entity to the one or more of the central hub, the outer ring, and the handle and the sensed contact of the foreign entity with the one or more of the central hub, the outer ring, and the handle. The controllers are further configured to activate the encroachment indicators when the sensor units sense that the foreign entity has encroached the predetermined proximity to the one or more of the central hub, the outer ring, and the handle or has contacted the one or more of the central hub, the outer ring, and the handle.
An advantage of the present invention is to provide automatic detection of when a foreign entity, such as a surgeon's head, encroaches a predetermined proximity to the surgical lighting system.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide automatic detection of when a foreign entity, such as a surgeon's head, contacts the surgical lighting system.
Still another advantage of the present invention is to provide a visible or an audible indication of the automatic detection to either prevent contamination or prevent the spreading of contamination from the surgical lighting system to other areas of the surgical site.
These and other advantages will become apparent from the following description of illustrated embodiments taken together with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, a preferred embodiment of which will be described in detail in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and wherein:
Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for the purposes of illustrating an embodiment of the invention only and not for the purposes of limiting same,
In the illustrated embodiments, surgical lighting system 10 includes surgical lighthead 20, controller 60, and user interface 70. As is shown in
Surgical lighthead 20 is configured to provide illumination in order to illuminate surgical environment 1. As is illustrated in
Controller 60 may be a conventional microprocessor-based computer system that is in communication with various accessory devices of surgical lighthead 20 and surgical lighting system 10 (e.g., light sources 40, encroachment indicator 30, sensor unit 50, etc.). Controller 60 may be positioned in or on surgical lighthead 20. As is illustrated in
It is noted, however, that embodiments disclosed herein are not limited to the aforementioned controller arrangement. As illustrated in
User interface 70 may allow surgical staff to program controller 60. Controller 60 may be programmed in a variety of different ways. For example, controller 60 may be programmed to activate one or more encroachment indicators 30 in surgical lighthead 20 or within surgical lighting system 10 in response to receipt of certain data from one or more sensors units 50 that foreign entity 90 has encroached on a proximity of surgical lighthead 20 or contacted surgical lighthead 20. Encroachment indicators 30 and sensor units 50 will be discussed in further detail herebelow.
User interface 70 may take the form of an interface device, such as a touchscreen, a control panel, a keypad, a remote control, a wall-mount control, and the like. While illustrated in
Light sources 40 are best illustrated in
At least one encroachment indicator 30 may be positioned at various areas within surgical lighthead 20 or surgical lighting system 10 and incorporated into elements of surgical lighthead 20 or surgical lighting system 10 that additionally serve other purposes. For example, encroachment indictor 30 may also be located in controller 60. In addition, encroachment indicator 30 may take many different forms. Further, encroachment indicator 30 may be controlled to indicate different types of encroachment, such as proximity encroachment, as illustrated in
One example of encroachment indicator 30 takes the form of at least one audible alarm 31. Audible alarm 31, as is illustrated in
In addition, as specifically illustrated in
Further, as specifically illustrated in
It is noted that encroachment indicator 30 is not limited to audible alarm 31, accent lighting apparatus 32, and colored LED 33. Moreover, encroachment indicator 30 may take the form of an intermittent periodical flashing of light sources 40. As previously mentioned, encroachment indicators 30 may be positioned remotely in various locations in surgical lighting system 10 within surgical environment 1 and activated by controller 60.
At least one sensor unit 50 is positioned in surgical lighthead 20. Sensor unit 50 may take many different forms, operate in various different ways, and utilize various different types of technology. For example, sensor unit 50 may be one or more proximity sensors positioned in surgical lighthead 20. Proximity sensors may continuously sample surgical environment 1 to detect the presence of foreign entity 90 and sense the proximity of foreign entity 90 to surgical lighthead 20. Proximity sensors may be, but are not limited to, infrared distance sensors, ultrasonic transceivers, or laser transceivers.
In another example, sensor unit 50 may be one or more contact sensors positioned in surgical lighthead 20. Contact sensors may sense contact of foreign entity 90 with surgical lighthead 20. Contact sensors may be, but are not limited to, pressure sensitive resistors or capacitive touch sensors.
In addition, a single sensor unit 50 may be equipped to provide proximity sensing and contact sensing. For example, as is illustrated in
While
Handle control interface 83 may be utilized to provide local and immediate control to components encompassed within surgical lighthead 20. For example, handle control interface 83 may be utilized to adjust light color or intensity of light sources 40, light color or intensity of accent LEDs in accent lighting apparatus 32, light color or intensity of colored LED 33, sensitivity of combination sensor unit 51 or other sensor units disposed within surgical lighthead 20, and volume of audible alarm 31. Further, handle control interface 83 may be used to acknowledge and cease any indication of encroachment provided by encroachment indicators 30.
Apart from having a translucent property that allows colored LED 33 to indicate encroachment therethrough, translucent handle skin 82 serves to protect the components of handle 81 from contamination. For example, when surgical lighthead 20 is in need of repositioning, a surgeon will take hold of sterile translucent handle skin 82 of handle apparatus 80 in order to enact such repositioning. Further, translucent handle skin 82 includes handle control interface pad 84, which enables a user to control surgical lighthead 20 via handle control interface 83 without needing direct access to handle control interface 83, thereby avoiding damage or contamination of the components of handle 81.
Translucent handle skin 82 can be removed from neck 23 and handle 81. The removability of translucent handle skin 82 serves several purposes. Upon contamination, translucent handle skin 82 may be disposed and replaced with another translucent handle skin 82.
Foreign entity 90 may be anything that could result in contamination of surgical lighthead 20. A non-limiting example of foreign entity 90 is illustrated in
While embodiments are not limited thereto, the operation of surgical lighting system 10 and particular scenarios that might occur during such operation will now be discussed with respect to the features illustrated in
Initially, controller 60 may be used by a surgeon or nurse to define a predetermined proximity of surgical lighthead 20 at which encroachment indicators 30 will be activated when foreign entity 90 enters therewithin. A surgeon or nurse may input the predetermined proximity parameters into controller 60 or control sensitivity of combination sensor unit 51 by operating handle control interface pad 84 through handle control interface 83, user interface 70, or other means not illustrated that may be provided in surgical lighting system 10.
Handle control interface pad 84 and handle control interface 83 or, alternatively, user interface 70 may be further used by a surgeon or nurse to program controller 60 to activate specific encroachment indicators 30 with specific reactions in response to specific occurrences. For example, controller 60 may be programmed to illuminate accent lighting assembly 32 or increase the illumination emitted from accent lighting assembly 32 in response to encroachment of the predetermined proximity of surgical lighthead 20. Controller 60 may also be programmed to quickly cycle accent lighting assembly 32 on and off when contact of surgical lighthead 20 with foreign entity 90 is detected. Alternatively, controller 60 may be programmed to operate first
As another example, one group of encroachment indicators 30 may be dedicated to proximity alerts, while another group of encroachment indicators 30 may be dedicated to contact alerts. Handle control interface pad 84 and handle control interface 83 or user interface 70 may allow further programming of controller 60 to adjust light color or intensity of colored LED 33, volume, frequency, and intermittent sounding of audible alarm 31, and intermittent flashing of light sources 40 in response to specific occurrences.
Moreover, controller 60 may be programmed to activate one group of encroachment indicators 30 for a proximity breach and another group of encroachment indicators 30 when contact with surgical lighthead 20 is detected. For example, proximity breaches may be indicated by light emitting devices of a first color in any location in which light emitting devices are used as encroachment indicators 30. Contact with surgical lighthead 20, on the other hand, may be indicated by light emitting devices of a second color in any location in which light emitting devices are used as encroachment indicators 30.
In addition, controller 60 may be programmed to activate particular encroachment indicators 30 to specifically indicate contact with translucent handle skin 82 has occurred. Such an indication would allow a surgeon or nurse to simply remove translucent handle skin 82 and replace it within another like translucent handle skin 82 that is sterilized.
Handle control interface pad 84 and handle control interface 83 or user interface 70 may also be used by the surgeon or nurse to activate the sterile field encroachment indicator when so desired. When activated, sensor unit 51 and controller 60 monitor the predetermined proximity of surgical lighthead 20 for foreign entity 90. Activated sensor unit 51 and controller 60 are also able to detect contact of foreign entity 90 with surgical lighthead 20.
When controller 60 determines that data has been received from sensor unit 51 indicating foreign entity 90 to be within the predetermined proximity to surgical lighthead 20, controller 60 activates encroachment indicators 30 in accordance with its programming for proximity alerts. When data received from sensor unit 51 leads controller 60 to determine that the encroaching foreign entity 90 has moved outside the predetermined proximity to surgical lighthead 20 without having contacted surgical lighthead 20, controller 60 deactivates encroachment indicators 30.
When controller 60 determines that data has been received from sensor unit 51 indicating that the encroaching foreign entity 90 has contacted surgical lighthead 20, controller 60 activates encroachment indicators 30 in accordance with its programming for contact alerts. In such a situation, controller 60 allows encroachment indicators 30 to remain activated for a predetermined period or until the activated encroachment indicators 30 are manually deactivated by operation of controller 60 by a surgeon or nurse through handle control interface pad 84 and handle control interface 83 or user interface 70.
The foregoing descriptions are example embodiments of the present invention. It should be appreciated that these embodiments are described for purposes of illustration only, and that numerous alterations and modifications may be practiced by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended that all such modifications and alterations be included insofar as they come within the scope of the invention as claimed or the equivalents thereof.
