Microsurgical Operating Unit

Abstract

A microsurgical operating unit comprises a mobile chair for the surgeon, a stand fixed to the chair for movement therewith and having a laterally swingable swivel arm adjustable in height thereon for supporting the microscope. A foot control switch means is fixed to the chair in the area of the surgeon's feet to carry out the swivel movements and drive movements of the microscope-bearing swivel arm. By means of this operating unit, the surgeon is enabled to carry out the control of the individual devices and of the microscope with the aid of his feet, and thus to concentrate completely on the operation area.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART

In micro-surgery, it is known to arrange the microscopes by use of suspension devices, at the ceiling of the operating theater in the area of the operating table, devices being provided rendering possible an adjustment in height and in depth as well as a lateral adjustment of the microscope. The known suspension devices are, however, designed only to receive microscopes. The microscopes are suspended at the free end of swivel arms which are fixed to a vertical stand. For reasons of stability and non-oscillation, the base of the stand and the reach of the swivel arms bearing the microscope are kept as small as possible by which one is enforced to set up the stand at the side of the surgeon, the operating team being thus strongly impeded in its freedom of movement. That is to say a number of surgical treatments require a change of the surgeon's position which is made possible by means of the mobile chair. An arrangement of the mentioned type is disclosed in Draeger et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,566,872, issued Mar. 2, 1971, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. However, it would be advantageous if it were possible to maintain the spatial correlation of the equipment used by the surgeon during an operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a micro-surgical operating unit by means of which the disadvantages of the known arrangements and correlations of micro-surgical operating units are avoided. According to the invention, a micro-surgical operating unit is characterized by the combination of the following features:

A. A surgeon's chair is designed as a mobile chair bearing a stand mounted on a support for the chair behind the seat, the stand comprising a vertical tube and at least one swivel arm projecting laterally and horizontally and being adjustable in height and sidewards by means of drive units, a microscope being installed at the free end of the swivel arm.

B. For focusing and change of magnitude the microscope is provided with drive units which, together with the drive units for adjusting the swing lever of the stand in height and swinging it laterally, are controlled via a foot control switch means provided on the support for the surgeon's chair.

C. The control lines connected to the drive units are united in a control device which is connected to the foot control switch means of the surgeon's chair, the foot control switch means consisting of foot switches connected to the support in the area of the surgeon's feet and at the base of the chair, the foot switches being housed in four foot-wide blocks arranged side by side and separated from each other by vertical partition walls, each single block having a central pedal, formed as a rocker with stops, and two end pedals arranged in the end areas of the central pedal and projecting from its horizontal level, while control switches are installed beneath the end pedals and beneath the two ends of the central pedal which is held in two knife-edge supports arranged in spaced relation to each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawing shows an embodiment of the object of the invention, wherein

FIG. 1 shows a microsurgical operating unit comprising a suspension device for the microscope and the surgeon's chair, in a lateral view,

FIG. 2 shows the surgeon's chair with foot control switch means installed in the base, in a lateral view

FIG. 3 shows the base of the chair in a top view,

FIG. 4 shows the surgeon's chair in a front view,

FIG. 5 shows a central pedal formed as foot switch, partly in section, partly as an elevation,

FIG. 6 shows two foot switches arranged side by side in a top view and

FIGS. 7 to 9 illustrate a central pedal with a two-joint support, showing the pedal in various tilting positions, in lateral views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The microsurgical operating unit designed according to the invention consists, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, of a stand 10, a surgeon's chair 11 and a foot control switch means 12 provided at the surgeon's chair 11.

The stand 10 comprises a stand tube 13 which is, at the bottom end, fixed at 15 and 16 to the support 14 for the surgeon's chair 11. The stand tube 13 has an upper narrower tube section 13a on which a traversing slide 17 is mounted and which is slidable on the tube section 13a in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the stand tube either manually or by motor by means of a drive motor indicated at 112, a swing lever 21 being attached to traversing slide 17, the swing lever bearing, at its free end, a microscope 22 constructed in a manner known per se. The swing lever 21 consists of two sections 21a and 21b which are connected to each other and swingable round the vertical axis 23. The microscope 22 is mounted to be moved to any position desired by the surgeon. The lateral swinging of the microscope, i.e., of its two swivel arm sections 21a and 21b, is effected by means of a drive unit indicated at 111. For focusing and change of magnitude, the microscope 22 is furthermore connected to drive units 113 and 114.

The surgeon's chair 11 is composed of a seat area 24, a back rest 25 and arm rests 26. The support 14 for chair 11 is provided with runners 27 so that the chair can be moved. The stand tube 10 is preferably mounted behind the seat area 24, the back rest 25 of chair 11, on the support 14 (FIGS. 2 and 4).

The foot control switch means 12 is attached to the support 14, the former consisting of a foot part 30 which is upwardly tiltable at one end so that the foot part can be adapted to the inclination of the foot of the surgeon sitting on the chair. The foot part 30 consists of two portions 120a, 120b, for the left foot and the right foot respectively. Each portion 120a, 120b of foot part 30 contains eight switching functions which can be carried out by means of foot switches 121, 122, 123, 121a, 122a, 123a resp., 121b, 122b, 123b resp., 121c, 122c, 123c resp., which are housed in four foot-wide blocks (124, 124a, 124b, 124c) arranged side by side, blocks 124, 124a and blocks 124b, 124c of each pair being separated from one another by respective vertical partition walls 125, 126 (FIGS. 3 and 4).

Each block 124, 124a, 124b, 124c has three foot pedals. Foot pedals 121, 122, 123 are attached to block 124, foot pedals 121a, 122a, 123a to block 124a, foot pedals 121b, 122b, 123b to block 124b, and foot pedals 121c, 122c, 123c to block 124c (FIG. 3). In each set of three foot pedals of each block 124, 124a, 124b, 124c, the pedals 121, 121a, 121b, 121c are designed as central pedals and the foot pedals 122, 122a, 123, 123a, 122b, 123b, 122c, 123c as end switches. Two end pedals 122, 123, 122a, 123a resp., 122b, 123b resp., 122c, 123c resp., are associated with each central pedal. The end pedals associated with each central pedal are mounted in the area of the free ends of the associated central pedal and project from the plane surface of the central pedals. The end pedals preferably have an angular form and are, as shown in FIG. 5, swingably supported at 127, 128 by the mounting supports 132, 133 which at the same time constitute knife-edge support for the central pedals. The end pedals are under the action of springs 130, 131. The upper stops are indicated at 139, 140.

In order to give the foot an easy rest and to avoid the danger of erroneous switching, the central pedals 121, 121a, 121b, 121c are constructed as rockers. For this purpose, the central pedals are held on the knife-edge supports 132, 133 which are in spaced relation to each other, and the central pedals are centrally connected to a spring 134. Switch elements 135, 136 are installed beneath and in the end areas of the central pedals 121a, 121b, 121c. Each end switch correspondingly has a switching element 137, 138 (FIG. 5). The switching elements 135, 136, 137, 138 as well as the drive units 111, 112, 113, 114 are united in a control device 110 which is housed in the box-like frame-support 14 of the surgeon's chair 11 (FIG. 1). By means of the control device 110, the corresponding controls for the lifting and lowering and the lateral swinging of the swivel arm 21, as well as for the individual devices of the microscope 22, are carried out when the corresponding foot pedals are operated.

The central pedals 121, 122, 123 may be provided with two hinged supports consisting of a guide link 142 one of the free ends of which is fixed at 143 at the underside of the central pedal. Beneath the pivotal point 143, a support 144 is provided. The other free end of the guide rod 142 is hinged to a fixed support 145 which is designed and mounted in a way such that the end of the guide rod fixed at 143 at the central pedal engages the fixed support 144, the central pedal being in the normal position, whereas the upper free end of the second fixed support 145 engages the underside of the central pedal (FIG. 7). FIGS. 8 and 9 show the different tilting positions of a central pedal for operating the switches 135, 136 (FIG. 5).

In order to guarantee safe switching operations, the partition walls 125, 126 are provided centrally with a recess 150 formed in the upper horizontal edge of the partition wall, the limiting edges of the recess being indicated at 151, 152. The limiting edges 151, 152 of the recess 150 are disposed so that, as soon as the heel or the tip of the shoe comes to rest on one of the two limiting edges the corresponding other end of the foot will come to rest in the area of the end switches (FIGS. 5 and 6). The different positions of the foot are indicated at A and B.

With the aid of a surgeon's chair constructed in this way the surgeon becomes largely independent of his assistants so that quick and safe working will be guaranteed. By means of a foot-operated remote-control provided on the chair the hands of the surgeon will be free for the actual operation. All controls of the corresponding devices and equipments are carried out by means of the foot control switches. The foot control switches, consisting of the central pedals and the end pedals, can be disposed in the foot part 30 so that, for example, the left foot controls the operation instruments and the right foot the adjustment of the microscope. Such an assignment of respective switching functions to each foot facilitates the switching essentially. More rarely used functions, which are hardly ever used together with other switching processes, are installed outside the normal foot position and are therewith noninterchangeable. By means of the foot switches the electrical and pneumatic devices for the surgical operation are controlled, as, for example, high frequency coagulation, galvanization, magnet valve of the gas injector and similar. Furthermore, the control of the operation microscope, that is its focusing and change of magnitudes is carried out by an optical system Vario installed at the microscope 22. The central pedals 121a, 121b, 121c formed as rockers and having end limitations, receive the two feet of the surgeon. By mounting the central pedals on knife-edge supports, or by using two hinged supports, resp., a novel construction has been created, a marked pressure of the toes, the heel respectively, being required for the switching functions. In the resting position the foot can be set firmly on the corresponding central pedal. Functions which belong together are preferably actuated by the same central pedal. If the switching functions have to be carried out by means of the end pedals, the use of the pedals lying side by side has proved to be advantageous as it is frequently difficult to move the foot from the front to the rear or vice versa. In order to guarantee safe switching, the partition walls 125, 126 are, at foot part 30, centrally provided with a recess 150 each. If, for example, any of the devices is to be adjusted, this will be done by means of the corresponding front end pedal. The foot will be set on the partition wall. Then it will be moved slidingly forward until the end slides into the recess. Thereafter, the foot is turned with the foot tip lifted towards the left, the right, respectively, so that the front end pedal can easily be found. In the same way the rear end pedals are actuated, the foot sliding rearwardly until the foot tip will rest in the recess.

By mounting the stand 10 for the microscope 22 and the foot control switch means 12 on chair 11 the spatial allocation of the devices used by the operating surgeon remains maintained at each change of position of the chair. Moreover, the novel device can be used with great advantage wherever it is not possible to suspend the microsurgical operating unit on the wall or ceiling.

Claims

1. A microsurgical operating unit comprising, in combination, a mobile chair support; a surgeon's chair mounted on said support; a stand secured to said support for movement with said chair, said stand including an upright post and at least one swivel arm projecting laterally from said post and adjustable longitudinally of said post and angularly relative thereto; a microscope mounted on the free end of said swivel arm; drive units connected to said swivel arm and operable to adjust the height and angular position of said swivel arm relative to said post; and a control unit mounted in said support and connected to said drive units, said control unit including foot-operated switch means secured to said support and positioned for foot operation by a surgeon seated in said chair to

2. A microsurgical operating unit, as claimed in claim 1, including further drive units connected to said microscope to adjust the focusing and magnification thereof, said further drive units being connected to said

3. A microsurgical operating unit, as claimed in claim 2, in which said foot-operated switch means comprises a first set of switches operable by the left foot of a surgeon seated in said chair and a second set of switches operable by the right foot of a surgeon seated in said chair; said sets of switches being mounted in laterally spaced relation to each

4. A microsurgical operating unit, as claimed in claim 3, in which each set of switches includes two groups of switches; each group of switches being arranged in a respective foot-wide block and the two blocks of each set being laterally immediately adjacent each other and separated from each

5. A microsurgical operating unit, as claimed in claim 4, in which each block comprises a relatively elongated central pedal mounted for rocking movement, two pivotally mounted end pedals one adjacent each end of the associated central pedal, a pair of first switches each mounted adjacent the respective end of the associated central pedal for operation by the rocking of the associated central pedal and a pair of second switches each operable by pivoting of a respective end pedal; means normally supporting each central pedal in a substantially horizontal orientation; means bissing each end pedal upwardly; and means limiting upward movement of

6. A microsurgical operating unit, as claimed in claim 5, in which each central pedal is rockably supported at two pivot points spaced

7. A microsurgical operating unit, as claimed in claim 6, in which each of said pivot points comprises a knife-edge support for the associated

8. A microsurgical operating unit, as claimed in claim 6, including first and second longitudinally spaced uprights beneath each central pedal spaced equidistantly from the midpoint of the length of the associated central pedal; an ear projecting downwardly from each central pedal adjacent the associated first upright; and a link pivotally connected to said ear and to the associated second upright; the height of the second upright being greater than the height of the first upright by the height of said ear; whereby, in its horizontal rest position, each central pedal directly engages the associated second upright and its ear directly

9. A microsurgical operating unit, as claimed in claim 5, in which each end pedal has an angular form with an outer end projecting above the

10. A microsurgical operating unit, as claimed in claim 9, in which each partition wall is formed with a relatively shallow recess in its upper edge intermediate its ends whereby, to operate an end pedal of either of the two groups of a set, either the heel or the toe of the surgeon's foot associated with the respective set can be engaged in said recess and the toe or the heel used to operate an associated end switch.