Television – Special applications
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-22
2003-10-28
Le, Vu (Department: 2613)
Television
Special applications
C348S370000, C348S373000, C362S011000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06639623
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a ceiling mounted system for use in a surgical theater. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus having articulating arms that support a surgical light, a video camera, and video monitors. The present invention also relates to such an apparatus wherein the articulating arms are inter-changeable between apparatus in different locations and configured to display video images selected from a plurality of video devices.
Video monitors are used in surgical theaters for viewing images such as, for example, images produced from lapyroscopic and endoscopic cameras. These monitors display images placed in a position so that the surgeon can view them during a surgical procedure. These monitors are typically mounted on top of a rolling cart that contains the lapyroscopic or endoscopic equipment. This cart is large and bulky and takes up valuable space around the operating table. Since the monitor is on top of the cart, the monitor cannot always be placed in a position that is the most optimum for viewing by the surgeon.
In many surgical procedures, two monitors are used because a physician's assistant is located on the opposite side of the operating table from the surgeon and cannot see the monitor that is positioned for the surgeon's viewing. In these cases, two monitors must be used at different locations around the table. The positions of the monitors varies depending on the type of surgery and the positions of the surgeon and the assistant. Having two carts with monitors on them takes up an excessive amount of floor space.
With the development of flat screen monitors, the size of the monitors has decreased dramatically. For flat screen monitors and CRT monitors having comparable image sizes, the footprint of the flat screen monitor enclosure is much smaller than that of the comparable CRT monitor. Similarly, the weight of the flat screen monitor is only a fraction of a comparable CRT type monitor.
Flat screen monitors are compatible with mounting on an arm that is attached to the ceiling. This allows the endoscopic cart to be separated from the video monitor. The cart can then be moved away from the table to different areas of the suite out of the way of the surgeon. The scope is plugged into a wall outlet that is hard wired through the wall and down through the support arms to the video monitors.
Filming and recording surgical procedures is now becoming more routine. Operating rooms are typically not adequately equipped to record these surgical procedures. In fact, more often than not, a surgeon employs the services of a professional company or utilizes the in house services available to film a procedure. This requires advance scheduling and is very expensive. Previously, such filming of surgical procedures was principally done for education within the hospital. Today, however, the need to film surgical procedures has expanded considerably.
Cameras are used in operating rooms as a means of networking with the rest of the world. The camera has now become the vehicle by which surgeons can consult with each other during live procedures. For certain surgical procedures it is not uncommon for surgeons to consult with each other from different parts of the world during a case (commonly referred to as ‘Telesurgery’). In teaching hospitals, clinical educators require interactive filming capabilities that can be controlled remotely from the classroom. Such procedures are either recorded for critique at a later date or simply observed ‘real time’ for teaching. Surgeons routinely record procedures and edit the content for presentation at a conference. More surgical procedures are being recorded for future reference should the outcome of the surgery be questioned.
The increased practice of endoscopic and lapyroscopic surgery has produced the need for more sophisticated camera and monitor systems that can alternate between internal and external images. The need to do this in a seamless and user friendly fashion is driving the demand for a new level of sophistication in cameras offered with surgical theater systems. Among the features demanded in these new systems is the ability for the system to be operated by the surgical staff.
Preferably, a surgical camera is movable to different vantage points around the patient, and should even be able to shoot laterally and directly downwardly over the center of the patient. To meet this unique set of needs and provide flexibility, the present invention provides a surgical theater system having a camera mounted on a support arm assembly extending from the same hub which supports the surgical light.
Typically, a surgical light hangs above the table in an OR suite for lighting the surgical site. Many health care facilities have more than one, and often several, OR suites in which surgical lights are mounted to illuminate surgical procedures. The disclosed device includes a plurality of arms mounted to the hub of a surgical theater system so that a surgical light, a camera and/or video monitors can be positioned effectively around the surgical table. In this specification, including the claims, the term “hub” is intended to refer to a member which rotates about an axis or shaft. Typically, a shaft is mounted to the ceiling in the OR to extend downwardly and at least one and often two lights are mounted on the hub for movement about the shaft.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a surgical light apparatus includes a monitor attached to an arm coupled for pivotal movement about a hub assembly configured to be attached to a ceiling and a video input controller electrically coupled to the monitor. The video input controller includes a first channel input having a video coupling for attachment to a first video input device providing a first video feed, a second channel input having a video coupling for attachment to second video device providing a second video feed, and a channel controller coupled to the monitor, first channel input, and second channel input. The channel controller is configured to select a video feed to the monitor. The first channel input may include a plurality of video couplings, and the apparatus may include a first selector to select between the plurality of video couplings as a source of a first video feed. The second channel input may include a plurality of video couplings, and the apparatus may include a second selector to select between the plurality of video couplings as a source of a second video feed. Third and fourth channel inputs providing third and fourth video feeds may also be included. The apparatus may include a second monitor coupled by an arm to the hub assembly, the second monitor being electrically coupled to the channel controller of the video input controller so that channel controller selects a video feed to the second monitor. An output panel may be provided having a first connector coupled to the video feed selected for the first monitor and a second connector directly coupled to one of the first, second, third, and fourth video feeds. A camera may be coupled by a camera arm for pivotal movement about the hub and controlled by a camera controller electrically coupled to the camera arm, the camera controller being located at a remote location from the remainder of the surgical light apparatus.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a surgical light apparatus includes a monitor mounted to a monitor mount attached to an arm coupled for pivotal movement about a hub assembly configured to be attached to a ceiling and a video input controller electrically coupled to the monitor. The handle includes an actuator mounted thereto. The video input controller includes a first channel input having a video coupling for attachment to a first video input device providing a first video feed, a second channel input having a video coupling for attachment to second video device providing a second video feed, and a channel controller coupled to the monitor, first channel input, and second channel input.
Gray Gary A.
Heimbrook Richard H.
Howell Charles A.
Manlove Scott
Reed Howard
Barnes & Thornburg
Hill-Rom Services Inc.
Le Vu
LandOfFree
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