New Light Illuminates Surgical Fields

A lighting system for the operating room (OR) evenly illuminates both the area surrounding a wound and deep into the surgical site, supporting stereoscopic vision and preventing inconvenient shadows from occurring.

The Stella OR light, manufactured by Dräger Medical (Lübeck, Germany), has two optical systems in a single body. They are joined on an optical axis, each with its own lenses, filters, and reflectors. A gas discharge system generates large-area, shadow-free illumination, while a halogen system provides an additional high-contrast depth illumination. Conditions for optimal color recognition are created by the identical color temperature of both light systems of 4200 Kelvin.

The control design allows the surgeon to set the optical luminance by setting a constant, homogenous light cylinder, and to adjust the depth of illumination using a sterilizable handgrip centrally located on the body of the light. The Stella concept accommodates the necessity to separate sterile and non-sterile areas to optimize the efficiency of procedures and hygienic requirements before and during the operation. Stella allows for free, easy and evenly balanced movement, in a completely encapsulated rhombus-shaped body that protects it from fluids or dust.

"The idea was to create an OR light which has a high recall value,” explained Margret Hünerbein, product manager at Dräger Medical. "We are very proud to receive the award --a proof that we reached our goal.”

Dräger Medical and Barsikdesign (Frankfurt, Germany) received the 2006 International Forum Design Award for the innovative product design of the Stella OR light.



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