Optical Projection of Surgical Operations

Abstract

AN optical apparatus of some interest to surgeons, devised by Profs. H. Costantini and L. Verain, of the University of Algiers, has recently been produced by the firm of Barbier Bénard and Turenne, 82 Rue Curial, Paris. It is termed a ‘Scialyscope’ and is a development of the shadow-less light now installed in many operating theatres. It consists essentially of a conical reflector nearly 2½ metres in diameter, and of roughly parabolic form, by means of which the rays from a very powerful light-source are concentrated on the field of operation. Beneath the lamp itself is placed an optical system containing a large right-angled prism by which an image of the field of operation is formed on a translucent screen in an adjoining room. The magnification on the screen is 3½ diameters, and the illumination is so powerful that a spectator at a distance of seven metres can obtain a brilliant view of every detail in the field of operation. There has always been very great difficulty in demonstrating operative details to a group of students ; their mere presence in an operating theatre is undesirable, and it is obviously impossible for most of them to obtain any but a fleeting glimpse of what is happening. With this apparatus forty or fifty students in an adjoining room can easily follow every detail, and it will be noted that their view is obtained from a point immediately above the field of operation. By means of a microphone and a loud speaker, the surgeon can describe to them at the same time all that is being done. The method would appear to have considerable possibilities and it certainly overcomes the difficulties involved in demonstrating operative details to a number of individuals.