In-cavity lighting is a relatively new innovation giving surgeons the ability to illuminate within the surgical cavity. Traditional surgery lights, including overhead operating room (OR) lights or headlamps, often cast shadows or can impede the surgeon's view throughout an operation. Some operating rooms are hesitant to make the switch to in-cavity lighting, opting to hold on to these bulky and often inconvenient lighting systems.
From experience, we recognize that just because something has always been done one way, it doesn’t mean that’s the way of progress. This article will dive into the current surgical lighting landscape, the future of operating room lighting and the pros and cons of both.
The Evolution of Surgical Lighting
In order to know where we are, it’s important to see where we came from. The early days of surgical lighting were rudimentary at best. From candles to candescents, there’s no shortage of progress.
The early stages of surgical lights included natural light, candles and kerosene lamps. Then, with the invention of the filament bulb, overhead operating room lighting became possible, and surgery was able to take place at all hours of the day.
In the 1960s, Halogen bulbs were introduced and added to the overhead lights, offering higher intensity and more focused lighting. Surgical headlamps also got the Halogen upgrade. These bulbs quickly became the “gold standard” of operating room lighting, but still had some problems, including shadows and glare.
LED lighting, introduced in the early 2000s, revolutionized surgical lighting for its reduced heat, superior color rendering, energy efficiency and customization through adjustable intensity and focus settings.
Fiber optics are also commonly used in present-day solutions. Fiber optics offer flexibility, eliminate electrical interference, making them safer for patients, and can withstand more extreme temperatures.
At Lumitex, we use both LED and fiber optic lighting in our surgical lights, depending on the specific solution.
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Current Lighting Landscape
Although the addition of LED lighting was a significant improvement in surgical lighting technology, it wasn’t perfect.
For many surgeons, lighting can become another hurdle to overcome in the OR. They designate someone to specifically point overhead lights in the right direction, often creating a small delay when trying to get the angle just right. According to an overview of current research published in The Surgery Journal, lighting adjustments occur as often as every 7.5 minutes.
Then there are headlamps that, although they don’t typically require communication between the surgeon and staff and are exempt from casting shadows, still require adjustments before surgery.
This lack of a perfect lighting solution has medical professionals and engineers alike pushing back against the norm, convinced there’s something better. And they are right. Enter in-cavity lighting.
What is In-Cavity Lighting?
In-cavity lighting is a lighting technique where the light is placed within the body to illuminate surgical cavities. This process involves a light source attached to a retractable blade or other instrument, which is especially beneficial when traditional lighting methods don’t provide proper coverage, including deep cavities.
Advantages of In-Cavity Lighting
Beyond being a surgical light with no shadow, in-cavity lighting provides numerous benefits for both the surgeon and patient.
1. Improved visibility and precision in constrained environments
In-cavity lighting is powerful and shadowless. According to peer-reviewed literature published in Lighting Research & Technology, in-cavity lighting creates a more precise illumination of the surgical site, needing a much lower luminance, creating less strain on surgeons.
2. Minimally invasive with smaller incisions
Go to new depths without creating large incisions or disturbances to the patient. Small incisions and less invasive procedures open the possibility for more advanced options in the future.
3. Faster recovery and less pain
More precision means speedier recovery and less trauma to the surrounding tissue. Patients will experience less pain during recovery as well.
4. Enhanced energy efficiency and sustainability
In-cavity lighting is powered by energy-efficient LED lighting, which reduces its carbon footprint and decreases the facility’s operational costs.
5. Reduced risk of electrical conduction to patients and staff
Less heat conducted by the lighting reduces the risk of harm to staff and patients. It also means less heat overall to the area.
Specialties Utilizing In-Cavity Lighting
Surgeries that once required large incisions and openings can now happen with greater precision. With this precision also come benefits like minimized damage to surrounding tissue, quicker recovery time and less post-op discomfort in patients.
With all these advantages, any field can benefit, but some fields are experiencing revolutionary shifts because of the advances within in-cavity lighting. That includes:
Endoscopy and Diagnostics
In-cavity lighting can illuminate internal organs and cavities like the gastrointestinal tract, lungs and bladder with ease. This allows real-time, high-resolution images to provide early detection of tumors, ulcers and blockages.
Ophthalmology
Conditions like cataracts and retinal detachment require the extreme precision only in-cavity surgical retractor lighting can provide. It illuminates delicate structures of the eye and surrounding area, allowing ophthalmologists to perform intricate procedures with confidence.
ENT
Ear, nose and throat specialists are utilizing in-cavity lighting for the small area that procedures like sinus surgeries, laryngoscopy and ear examinations bring. Specialists and surgeons have detailed visualisation of these delicate structures and confined spaces.
Urology
Urologists now can examine the bladder and urethra without large incisions. Kidney stones are removed in a minimally invasive way.
Gynecology
Laparoscopic gynecological surgeries and hysteroscopies are utilizing in-cavity lighting to reduce pain and speed up recovery in patients.
Gastroenterology
In-cavity lighting supports specialized procedures like colonoscopies, allowing detailed inspection of the gastrointestinal tract.
Cardiology
Various cardiac procedures benefit from the precision and enhanced visibility, such as transcatheter surgeries or heart valve repairs.
Pulmonology
In-cavity lighting can be used during a bronchoscopy, which examines airways to diagnose or treat respiratory infections or blockages.
Each of these specialties has a specific use case and need for in-cavity lighting, making a one-size-fits-all in-cavity lighting solution nearly impossible. There are general standards to follow, but a truly customized approach is the only way each discipline can benefit from its surgical light.
The Future of In-Cavity Lighting
In-cavity lighting is making strides on its own. Here’s what we see trending:
- Adjustable color temperature — The ability to utilize different color temperatures depending on the procedure can revolutionize the approach and outcomes.
- Wireless or remote operations — Light without limitation is ideal, especially for deep cavities. Wireless options are paving the way for improved flexibility in the OR.
- Modular design — Small, delicate structures require malleable lighting. This innovation will make these small structure procedures more minimally invasive.
- Sustainability — Many of these procedures require one-time-use equipment for infection and disease prevention. Utilizing materials with a more sustainable approach to manufacturing and disposal can reduce waste.
We may not have a crystal ball, but we do feel confident in one thing: what the future of in-cavity lighting looks like. For us, that means constant innovation and collaboration. Our engineers have made great strides working alongside our partners to develop innovative in-cavity lighting technologies, but they haven’t seen every pain point and use case. Rest assured, they’re working hard to solve them.
There are many solutions on the market, but not every solution is made for you. These generic in-cavity options can still not be enough. At Lumitex, we choose to partner with our clients, ensuring there’s a tailored solution for each need.
Our Customized Approach to In-Cavity Lighting in Action
We had the privilege of partnering with June Midcal, a UK-based surgical device company, that was looking to create a high-output light source on a retractor ring frame. This lightweight, low-profile, versatile system provided a seamless solution for a fraction of the cost of competitors.
— Read More about the June Medical LUX Connect Light —
Although we’ve come a long way from strategically-placed windows and candlelight, there are still many exciting improvements on the horizon. Removing barriers like shadows, limited adjustability in both flex and color temperature, heat emissions and infection risk are just a few challenges traditional operating room lighting brings.
Improving patient care and infection prevention are a few things we can look forward to seeing with advances in in-cavity lighting and more customized solutions.
If you’re ready to start advancing surgical lighting for your organization, give our experts a call. With 40 years of experience and a track record of groundbreaking customized solutions, there are no limits to what we can do together. We have a team ready to make your dream lighting solution a reality.
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