Surgical lighting system with integrated digital video camera

• US 6,633,328 B1
• Filed: 01/05/1999
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Steris Corporation
• Original Assignee: Steris Corporation
• Inventors: Byrd, Robert Joe, Reed, Howard D., Kongchan, Saysana Say, Ujjin, Viroon Mai
• Primary Examiner(s): Philippe, Gims S.
• Application Number:
  US09/225,880
• Time in Patent Office: 1,743 Days
• Field of Search: 348/77, 348/68, 348/42, 348/45, 348/143, 348/148, 348/39, 348/66, 348/61, 348/169, 348/373, 600/109, 600/112, 600/160, 600/249, 364/804, 362/233, 382/293
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/371 with simultaneous use of two cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/20 Surgical microscopes characterised by non-optical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/205 for operating theatres
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

A surgical video system 10 captures an image of a surgical procedure and displays the image on a video monitor 24 remote from the surgical procedure. The system includes at least one surgical lighthead 12, a video monitor 24, and a digital video camera 22 integrated into the surgical lighthead. The digital video camera forms part of a modular digital video camera unit 20 that is conveniently removable from the surgical lighthead so that camera units having different functionalities and capabilities can be selectively substituted as needed. A control unit 26 is operatively connected to the video camera and generates command signals that are executed by the modular camera unit to rotate the image of the surgical procedure displayed on the video monitor by at least 360° and to effect image zoom operations. The control unit is responsive to input signals from multiple sources including a hand-held IR/RF remote transmitter module 38, a wall mounted keypad 30, and a footswitch 40. Associated with the control unit and the video monitor, a recorder 42 is provided for archival of video image data.

Claims

1. A surgical video system for capturing an image of a surgical procedure and displaying the image on a video monitor, the video system comprising:

a surgical lighthead adapted to generate a light beam and direct the light beam towards a region of interest;

a video camera integrated into the surgical lighthead for generating an image representative of a view of the region of interest, the video camera being adapted to physically rotate at least 360°

relative to the surgical lighthead in response to a first command signal to thereby provide a rotated image representative of a rotated view of the region of interest;

a commutator in said surgical lighthead for enabling said video camera to physically rotate at least said 360°

relative to the surgical lighthead;

a video monitor adapted to receive the input image and the rotated input image and display at least a one of the image of the region of interest and the rotated image of the region of interest in response to the input image and the rotated image, respectively; and

,

a control unit operatively connected to the video camera for generating said first command signal in response to an input signal from an operatively associated external source.

2. The surgical video system according to claim 1 wherein said video camera integrated into the at surgical lighthead is a digital video camera adapted to generate a digital image signal representative of the region of interest for display on the video monitor.

3. The surgical video system according to claim 2 further comprising a footswitch operatively connected to said control unit for selectively generating said input signal when the footswitch is in a first position, the control unit generating said first command signal in response to the input signal when the footswitch is in said first position to initiate relative rotational movement between the digital camera and the surgical lighthead.

4. The surgical video system according to claim 2 further comprising a manual keypad operatively connected to said control unit for selectively generating said input signal in response to manual contact of the manual keypad from a human operator, the control unit generating said first command signal in response to the input signal when the manual keypad is contacted by the human operator to initiate relative rotational movement between the digital camera and the surgical lighthead.

5. The surgical video system according to claim 2 further comprising a remote transmitter operatively connected to said control unit for selectively generating said input signal in response to manual contact of the remote transmitter from a human operator, the control unit generating said first command signal in response to the input signal when the remote transmitter is manually contacted by the human operator to initiate relative rotational movement between the digital camera and the surgical lighthead.

6. A surgical video system for capturing an image of a surgical procedure and displaying the image on a video monitor remote from the surgical procedure, the video system comprising:

at least one surgical lighthead adapted to generate a light beam and direct the light beam towards a region of interest;

a video camera integrated into the at least one surgical lighthead for generating an image of a view of the region or interest, the video camera being adapted to physically rotate an unlimited number of revolutions relative to the at least one surgical lighthead, to rotate the image in response to a first command signal to generate a rotated image representative of a rotated view of the region of interest;

a video monitor adapted to receive the input image and the rotated input image and selectively display at least one of the image of the region of interest and the rotated image of the region of interest in response to the input image signal and the rotated image signal, respectively;

a control unit operatively connected to the video camera for generating said first command signal in response to an input signal from an operatively associated external source;

a rotatable frame supported within said at least one surgical lighthead, the rotatable frame carrying the video camera on the at least one surgical lighthead;

an electric drive motor disposed within the at least one surgical lighthead and operatively drivingly connected with the rotatable frame, the electric drive motor being adapted to selectively rotate the rotatable frame and the video camera carried thereon in response to said first command signal;

an electric slip ring connector for electromechanically connecting video signal lines from said video camera to second video signal lines extending through said at least one surgical lighthead to said control unit;

a first plug connector for connecting first power lines extending from said electric drive motor to second electric power lines extending from the at least one surgical lighthead to the control unit; and

,

a second plug connector for connecting first electric video lines extending from the slip ring connector to second electric video lines extending from the at least one surgical lighthead to the control unit.

7. The surgical video system according to claim 6 wherein said rotatable frame, said electric drive motor, said digital video camera, said slip ring connector, said first plug connector, and said second plug connector collectively form a modular digital video camera unit that is selectively removable from the at least one surgical lighthead and selectively replaceable with a second modular digital video camera unit.

8. The surgical video system according to claim 6 wherein:

said at least one surgical lighthead is carried on an articulated support arm;

the articulated support arm is adapted to carry power supply lines from an associated source of lighting power to the at least one lighthead; and

,

the articulated support arm is adapted to carry said second electric video lines front said video camera in the at least one lighthead to the control unit separated from the power supply lines.

9. The surgical video system according to claim 8 wherein:

said power supply lines include at least one first slip ring connector for rotatably connecting said at least one surgical lighthead to an operatively associated source or electric power; and

,

said second digital video signal lines carried by said articulated support arm include at least one second slip ring connector for rotatably connecting said video camera to the control unit.

10. The surgical system according to claim 9 wherein:

said power supply lines include a plurality of first slip ring connectors rotatably connecting the at least one surgical lighthead to the operatively associated source of electric power; and

,

said second digital video signal line carried by the articulated support arm includes a plurality of second slip ring connectors rotatably connecting the video camera to the control unit.

11. A surgical video system for use with surgical lighting equipment to capture an image of a surgical procedure performed in a region of interest, the video system comprising:

at least one surgical lighthead adapted to generate a light beam and direct the light beam towards the region of interest, the lighthead including a handle with a housing for manually manipulating the lighthead;

a video camera within the handle housing of the surgical lighthead for generating an image of a view of the region of interest, the video camera being adapted to selectively rotate the image relative to the at least one surgical lighthead by selective rotation of the camera through at least one full revolution relative to the handle housing in response to a first command signal to generate a modified image representative of a modified view of the region of interest;

a control unit operatively connected to the video camera for generating said command signal in response to an input signal from an operatively associated external source; and

means for carrying control, power and video signals to and from the camera, thereby allowing the video camera to rotate at least one full revolution relative to the at least one surgical lighthead, the means including;

a commutator for connecting first electrical lines from the video camera to second electrical lines; and

a connector for connecting the second electrical lines extending from the commutator to third electrical lines extending through the at least one surgical lighthead to the control unit.

13. The surgical video system according to claim 11 further comprising a footswitch operatively connected to said control unit for selectively generating said input signal exclusively when the footswitch is in a first position, the control unit generating said first command signal in response to the input signal when the footswitch is in said first position to initiate relative rotational movement between the digital camera and the at least one surgical lighthead.

14. The surgical video system according to claim 11 further comprising a manual keypad operatively connected to said control unit for selectively generating said input signal in response to manual contact of the manual keypad from a human operator, the control unit generating said first command signal in response to the input signal when the manual keypad is contacted by the human operator to initiate relative rotational movement between the digital camera and the at least one surgical lighthead.

15. The surgical video system according to claim 11 further comprising a remote transmitter operatively connected to said control unit for selectively generating said input signal in response to manual contact of the remote transmitter from a human operator, the control unit generating said first command signal in response to the input signal when the remote transmitter is manually contacted by the human operator to initiate relative rotational movement between the digital camera and the at least one surgical lighthead.

16. The surgical video system according to claim 11 wherein said digital video camera is adapted to form a modular digital video camera unit that is selectively removable from the at least one surgical lighthead and selectively replaceable with a second modular digital video camera unit.

12. A surgical video system for use with surgical lighting equipment to capture an image of a surgical procedure performed in a region of interest, the video system comprising:

at least one surgical lighthead adapted to generate a light beam and direct the light beam towards the region of interest;

a video camera integrated into the at least one surgical lighthead for generating an image representative of a view of the region of interest, the video camera being adapted to selectively modify the image in response to a first command signal by physically rotating relative to at least one surgical lighthead at least 360°

in response to said first command signal to rotate said digital image representative of the region of interest;

a control unit operatively connected to the video camera for generating said command signal in response to an input signal from an operatively associated external source;

an electric drive motor operatively connected with the control unit and the video camera and disposed within the at least one surgical lighthead; and

means operative to carry control and video signals to and from the camera, respectively, thereby allowing the video camera to rotate an unlimited number of turns relative to said at least one surgical lighthead, the means including;

a slip ring commutator for connecting first video and control lines from the video camera to second video and control lines; and

a first connector adapted to mate with a second connector disposed in the at least one surgical lighthead, wherein the first and second connectors connect first power lines extending from the electric drive motor to second power lines extending through the at least one surgical lighthead to the control

unit, and the second video and control lines extending from the slip ring commutator to third video and control lines extending through the at least one surgical lighthead to the control unit.

17. A surgical video system for use with surgical lighting equipment to capture an image of a surgical procedure performed in a region of interest, the video system comprising:

at least one surgical lighthead adapted to generate a light beam and direct the light beam towards the region of interest;

a video camera adapted to generate an image representative of a view of the region of interest, the video camera being adapted to selectively modify the image in response to a first command signal, through motor driven rotation up to 360°

in order to rotate said image representative of the view of the region of interest, in response to a second command signal, by altering the magnification of said image representative of the view of the region of interest, and, in response to a third command signal, by altering the focus of said image representative of the view of the region of interest;

a control unit operatively connected to the video camera for generating said command signal in response to an input signal from an operatively associated external source; and

an electromechanical apparatus to allow rotating the video camera beyond a single revolution in relation to the at least one lighthead by electromechanically engaging power and video lines extending from the video camera through the at least one lighthead to the control unit by a use of slip ring commutators, wherein the video camera, the motor and the electromechanical apparatus form a removable replaceable modular video camera unit integrated into the at least one surgical lighthead.

18. In combination:

a surgical lighthead; and

a modular video system integrated into the surgical lighthead, the modular video system including;

a motor

a drive mechanism

a video camera, the video camera being connected to the motor through the drive mechanism so as to be rotatable relative to the surgical lighthead through at least one full rotation, about an axis perpendicular to a lens of the camera, in response to an electronic signal received by the motor, from an operatively associated source; and

means for carrying control, power and video signals to and from the camera and allowing the video camera to rotate through at least one full rotation, the means including;

a slip ring commutator for connecting first video/control/power lines from the video camera to second video/control/power lines; and

a connector disposed about the video camera for connecting first power lines extending from the motor to second power lines extending through the at least one surgical lighthead to the control unit, and

the second video/control/power lines extending from the slip ring commutator to third video/control/power lines extending through the at least one surgical lighthead to the control unit.

19. A removable modular surgical video system integrated into a surgical lighthead to record an image of a surgical procedure in response to a signal from a control unit and display the image on a video monitor, the video system including:

a video camera adapted to generate an image of a view of a region of interest, the video camera being physically rotatable at least 360°

relative to the surgical lighthead;

a drive system including a motor operatively connected with the video camera to rotate the camera relative to the surgical lighthead a selective number of revolutions; and

an electromechanical device to allow the physical rotation of the camera of at least 360°

relative to the surgical lighthead.

20. A removable replaceable, modular surgical video system according to claim 19, wherein the electromechanical device includes:

an electric slip ring commutator for connecting first video, signal and power lines from the video camera to second video, signal and power lines extending into the surgical lighthead;

a first plug connector for connecting first motor power lines extending from the motor to second power motor lines extending through the surgical lighthead to the control unit; and

,

a second plug connector for connecting the second video, control and power lines extending from the slip ring commutator to third video, control and power lines extending through the surgical lighthead to the control unit.