The Craftmans Shop > New from Old
An Encounter with a Surgical Operating Microscope.
Pete W.:
A friend of the family who is a Veterinary Surgeon had the opportunity to acquire a used surgical operating microscope. (He didn't tell me what he paid and I didn't ask!!) Knowing of my interest in microscopes, he asked me if I would give it 'the once over' and fix anything that needed attention. I agreed to try it.
The microscope is a Zeiss Op-MI6 and dates from the 1960s. It is about 80 inches high and has, so far, defeated my attempts to take a clear photograph. I'd hoped to open this thread with a photo of the whole thing but that will have to wait until a later post - in the meantime, Googling 'Zeiss Op-Mi6' will bring up many photos of members of the Op-Mi6 family, similar to but none identical to the particular version concerned here.
The requirement that sets surgical operating microscopes apart from 'ordinary' microscopes is that, once he/she is scrubbed-up for the surgery, they cannot touch the microscope controls by hand. So the microscope motions are moved by electric motors controlled by foot-switches on what is termed a 'Pedal Unit'.
Here is a link to a .pdf file describing the history and development of Zeiss Operating Microscopes: http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artdec12/fs-Zeiss-Operating-Microscopes-1.pdf. That was Part 1, here's the link to Part 2: https://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artjan13/fs-Operating-Microscopes-2.pdf
I'll finish this post with a random photograph and continue my introduction in a second post.
Pete W.:
The Op-Mi6 consists of a heavy base with three lockable castors and a central foot-operated brake. The base contains a 'splitter' for the incoming AC mains supply. The base supports a vertical column some 80" high. This column is tubular and guides the carriage that supports the actual microscope head on a pivoted arm. The strong plastic ribbon is attached to the carriage and runs in a groove in the column up to its top-cap where it is directed into the interior of the tube where either a weight or a long spring counter-balances the weight of the microscope, arm and carriage. (See the Google photos to get the idea - I'll take and post some photos of this particular unit as soon as I can.)
There are two boxes mounted on the column below the lower limit of motion of the carriage. One of these contains the power supply for the microscope lamp while the other contains the power supply for the motions of the microscope. I call this box the 'Control Unit' - it bears some switches affecting the microscope functions and several connectors, acting as the junction box connecting to the Pedal Unit and to the microscope head. Each of these two boxes has an IEC connector to accept mains power from the 'splitter' in the base.
Here's another random photograph:
nrml:
It's interesting that none of the modern surgical microscopes at work have foot controls. They just cover all the handles and buttons with a sterile clear polythene bag type thing with a lens orifice built into it.
The difference might because of the plethora of foot pedals for various other operating theatre devices like diathermy, phacoemulsifiers, xray machines etc etc. It is amazing how the availability of cheap plastic sheets (something we now take for granted) has changed the way machines are built.
Pete W.:
Hi there, nrml,
Thank you for your post - it's interesting.
As I wrote in my opening post, this Op-Mi6 dates from the 1960s. I guess that in the fifty plus years since then surgical techniques would have to have moved on. I'm not in the surgery business so I'm just posting in the context of the instrument before me.
A neighbour recently had her gall bladder removed and just had five small keyholes in her back to show for it. I understand that the surgeon's hands didn't actually touch the patient - just the controls of what might be termed a hi-tech manipulator!
Might you post a photo (or photos) of the instruments with which you come in to contact? I'd welcome that.
nrml:
I'll try to get some pictures of the microscopes at work when they are in use next. It's a bit tricky if there are other members of staff or patients in the operating theatre. Everyone seems to be paranoid about confidentiality these days even if they are not anywhere remotely in the picture frame.
Actually on thinking about it, it is very likely that foot pedal controls are an optional accessory that we didn't buy.
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