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An operating microscope or surgical microscope is an
An operating microscope or surgical microscope is an optical
Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behaviour and properties of light, including its interactions with matter and the construction of instruments that use or detect it. Optics usually describes the behaviour of visible, ultravio ...
microscope
A microscope () is a laboratory equipment, laboratory instrument used to examine objects that are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Microscopy is the science of investigating small objects and structures using a microscope. Microscopic ...
specifically designed to be used in a surgical
Surgery is a medical specialty that uses manual and instrumental techniques to diagnose or treat pathological conditions (e.g., trauma, disease, injury, malignancy), to alter bodily functions (e.g., malabsorption created by bariatric surgery ...
setting, typically to perform microsurgery
Microsurgery is a general term for surgery requiring an operating microscope. The most obvious developments have been procedures developed to allow anastomosis of successively smaller blood vessels and nerves (typically 1 mm in diameter) whi ...
.
Design features of an operating microscope are: magnification typically in the range from 4x-40x, components that are easy to sterilize or disinfect
A disinfectant is a chemical substance or compound used to inactivate or destroy microorganisms on inert surfaces. Disinfection does not necessarily kill all microorganisms, especially resistant endospore, bacterial spores; it is less effect ...
in order to ensure cross-infection control.
There is often a prism
PRISM is a code name for a program under which the United States National Security Agency (NSA) collects internet communications from various U.S. internet companies. The program is also known by the SIGAD . PRISM collects stored internet ...
that allows splitting of the light beam in order that assistants may also visualize the procedure or to allow photography
Photography is the visual arts, art, application, and practice of creating images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is empl ...
or video
Video is an Electronics, electronic medium for the recording, copying, playback, broadcasting, and display of moving picture, moving image, visual Media (communication), media. Video was first developed for mechanical television systems, whi ...
to be taken of the operating field.
Typically an operating microscope might cost several thousand dollars for a basic model, more advanced models may be much more expensive. Additionally, specialized microsurgical instruments may be required to make full use of the improved vision the microscope affords. It can take time to master use of an operating microscope.
Fields of medicine that make significant use of the operating microscope include plastic surgery, dentistry
Dentistry, also known as dental medicine and oral medicine, is the branch of medicine focused on the Human tooth, teeth, gums, and Human mouth, mouth. It consists of the study, diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases, dis ...
(especially endodontics
Endodontics () is the Specialty (dentistry), dental specialty concerned with the study and treatment of the dental pulp.
Overview
Endodontics encompasses the study (practice) of the basic and clinical sciences of normal dental pulp, the etiolo ...
), ENT surgery
Otorhinolaryngology ( , abbreviated ORL and also known as otolaryngology, otolaryngology–head and neck surgery (ORL–H&N or OHNS), or ear, nose, and throat (ENT)) is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the surgical an ...
, ophthalmic surgery, and neurosurgery
Neurosurgery or neurological surgery, known in common parlance as brain surgery, is the specialty (medicine), medical specialty that focuses on the surgical treatment or rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system ...
.
In eye surgery
In Eye (ophthalmic) surgery, there are procedures which routinely utilize a surgical microscope, such ascataract surgery
Cataract surgery, also called lens replacement surgery, is the removal of the natural lens (anatomy), lens of the human eye, eye that has developed a cataract, an opaque or cloudy area. The eye's natural lens is usually replaced with an artific ...
and corneal transplantation
Corneal transplantation, also known as corneal grafting, is a surgical procedure where a damaged or diseased cornea is replaced by donated corneal tissue (the graft). When the entire cornea is replaced it is known as penetrating keratoplasty a ...
. An Optical coherence tomograph (OCT) can be added to aid the surgeon, especially during retinal surgery.
In dentistry
In dentistry, an example of a procedure which commonly uses an operating microscope would be endodontic retreatment, where the magnification provided by the operating microscope improves visualisation of theanatomy
Anatomy () is the branch of morphology concerned with the study of the internal structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is a branch of natural science that deals with the structural organization of living things. It is an old scien ...
present leading to better outcomes for the patient. It has been suggested that the well-focused illumination and magnification should be part of a standard of care in endodontic therapy. However, a Cochrane review did not find any studies that met the inclusion criteria to confirm or dispute the hypothesis; therefore suggesting further research.
Other procedures
Surgical microscopes are used inanastomosis
An anastomosis (, : anastomoses) is a connection or opening between two things (especially cavities or passages) that are normally diverging or branching, such as between blood vessels, leaf veins, or streams. Such a connection may be normal (su ...
procedures carried out to join blood vessels
Blood vessels are the tubular structures of a circulatory system that transport blood throughout many animals’ bodies. Blood vessels transport blood cells, nutrients, and oxygen to most of the tissues of a body. They also take waste an ...
in vascular surgery
Vascular surgery is a surgical subspecialty in which vascular diseases involving the arteries, veins, or lymphatic vessels, are managed by medical therapy, minimally-invasive catheter procedures and surgical reconstruction. The specialty evolve ...
.
Surgical microscopes are often used for the insertion of the Tympanostomy tube
Tympanostomy tube, also known as a grommet, myringotomy tube, or pressure equalizing tube, is a small tube inserted into the eardrum via a surgical procedure called myringotomy to keep the middle ear aerated for a prolonged period of time, typic ...
particularly in pediatric cases.
See also
*Stereo microscope
The stereo, stereoscopic or dissecting microscope is an optical microscope variant designed for low magnification observation of a sample, typically using light reflected from the surface of an object rather than transmitted through it. The inst ...
* Optical coherence tomography
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a high-resolution imaging technique with most of its applications in medicine and biology. OCT uses coherent near-infrared light to obtain micrometer-level depth resolved images of biological tissue or oth ...
* Confocal microscope
Confocal microscopy, most frequently confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) or laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM), is an optical imaging technique for increasing optical resolution and contrast of a micrograph by means of using a sp ...
References
Further reading
*{{cite journal , vauthors=Saunders WP, Saunders EM , title=Conventional endodontics and the operating microscope , journal=Dental Clinics of North America , volume=41 , issue=3 , pages=415–28 , date=July 1997 , doi=10.1016/S0011-8532(22)00060-X , pmid=9248683, s2cid=247910918External links
* http://www.operatingmicroscopes.com/ Surgery Dentistry Endodontics