Do you choose the right operating light?

Operating light is the most import light in operating room, affecting surgery result. Now let’s talk about the main points when you choose operating light.

Firstly, we should to know how it works generally.

During surgery preparation phase, nurse or surgeon will move the operating light to probably surgery position. Then turn on it, generally surgeon will stand under the light at the same time, adjusting light position until meeting surgeon’s requirement

When surgery started, generally the operating light position will not change. But when the surgery filed or incision depth changed, the light also should be changed, surgeon or nurse can adjust it by handle.

Finally, after long time surgery, nurse or surgeon move operating light out of surgery field, remove disinfecting handle and disinfect it.

From above we can see that the main operator is nurse and surgeon. Before and after surgery, nurse should move the operating light for long distance. And for surgeon, no matter surgeon doctor or assistant, they will stand under operating light for long time, have very close relationship with operating light.

So how to choose suitable operating light? I think we should consider into below 4 points:

1.      Safety

Safety will be the most import factor for medical equipment. This safety not only means product safety, but also means the safety for user.

We will not talk much more about product safety, because now the operating light standards are much perfect both at home and abroad, and some Chinese test standards are higher than Europe standards. Most factories’ standards’ also is high, so the product safety is very small problem.

But some problems often happen which are caused by incorrect installation because of the complex design, or caused by lack of training.

Such as 2 common problems: some halogen operating light will flash, turn off or brightness becomes darker, causing blurry surgery filed. Generally it is because you don’t change the halogen light bulb in time, or you don’t install connector correctly. Another problem is that the hanging arm can’t be fixed, it will drift during surgery, it mainly caused by incorrect installed hanging arm.

We can see that it will have great influence for surgeon when surgery filed blurry or spot drift during surgery, maybe it will be failed, causing unimaginable consequences. So we should always warn ourselves and others safety awareness in the daily work.

2.      Suitable lighting environment

Besides safety, another important point is suitable lighting environment. For one surgery, surgery will stare at the surgery filed 90% time, others also will see surgery filed most of their time. Suitable lighting environment can let medical staff “see clearly, look for a long time”

 ‘See clearly’ means the color is not distorted, organs can be distinguished, without shadow.

During surgery, it is a prerequisite for the color to remain constant for a long time. If the red color become other colors when lighting it, it will cause surgeon’s misjudgment; When incision is deep, organs and blood vessels will mixed, and the color is similar, it is hard to distinguish; At the same time, when incision is deep, because the medical instrument’s block, maybe shadow will be formed, blocking surgeon sight.

 “See clearly”, operating light can meet this requirement by keeping constant CRI, adjusting color temperature and high shadowless affect.

 “Look for a long time” means look comfortable and look for a long time. For surgeon, soft and not blinking spot can reduce surgeon’s visual fatigue; besides, surgeon stands under the operating light for a long time, if the temperature rise on surgery head is high, surgeon will feel uncomfortable, and it also will cause the surgery filed temperature rise, maybe body fluids loss, causing dangerous.

But lighting environment depends on light source, with the technology development, from halogen operating light, Xenon light, to the newest LED operating light, light source’s development also improve light environment.

3.      Operate convenient, flexible and accurate

Before or after surgery, operating light should be moved in/out surgery filed quickly; during surgery, it should be adjusted according to surgeon’s need, and it should constant position for a long time during surgery, no drift

Generally, operating light’s light head is bigger no matter weight or volume. So for operate convenient, flexible and accurate, it has very strict design requirement for light head and hanging arm. The light head should reduce the volume and weight as much as possible while satisfying the appropriate lighting environment, the shape design also needs to minimize the impact on the purified laminar flow; Hanging arm components should move convenience, flexible and accurate positioning in the premise of carrying light head safety, and taking less space.

Now basically every brand light head is unique, hanging arm components use imported famous brand to confirm it quality and functions. Such as Mingtai brand, it light head has petal model, and it hanging arm is Germany Ondal arm.

4.      Others

Besides above 3 points, some factories have its own unique design, making operating light using convenience and long time. Such as Mingtai LED bulb, it has 4 LED bulb in one LED cup, 1 main bulb + 3 auxiliary bulb, can offer much better shaodwless environment. And the hanging arm equips with patented disc spring braking system, can preventing drifting effectively.