Lastly, Stryker's shadow-resolving, reflector technology keeps the surgical site shadow-free and consistent while delivering 39" of a focused column of light. Both of these dominant characteristics allow the surgeon to focus less on positioning the lights and more on patient care.

Berchtold-HID Now With LED on the Horizon


If you're not yet ready to take the LED plunge, Berchtold has another advanced surgical lighting technology, HID or high intensity discharge (also called gas discharge or xenon).

"The HIDs, while they don't last as long as the LEDs, last long enough that clinicians don't have to worry about bulb replacement. HID falls into the realm of preventive maintenance. Somebody from biomed can come in every couple of years and replace those bulbs," explained Alan Campbell, Product Manager for Surgical Lighting, Berchtold USA, Charleston, S.C.

The HID bulb is a single element, replaceable by the customer and commercially available. By contrast LEDs use individual elements that are very specific in color and efficiency to each manufacturer, so biomedical engineers can't replace them. Also, LEDs are integrated into circuit boards and other electronics.

"They are 100% proprietary and if they fail it is a major undertaking to try and replace them," Campbell noted. "LEDs are really driven like a microchip. There is no way to make an LED unit today that has the safety and security of the 'one bulb' approach."

Berchtold's flagship lights are its HID-powered Chromophare® E Series, with a 13-inch field of illumination in their E805, which adjusts to a concentrated spot for deep cavity visualization. All Berchtold HID units offer 160,000 lux peak illuminance and promise superior shadow control and true color. The E655 lamp life averages 5,000 hours, more than five times that of halogen. New polygon reflector optics smooth out the intensity of the light, producing a spot that looks even larger than the specifications indicate.

HID is priced around $25,000 to $30,000 for a dual light and as noted is affordable to maintain with no filament to break and easy bulb replacement.

Here's a link to Berchtold's brochure:
http://www.berchtoldusa.com/ESeries/BER-188-ESeries-LtrSize.pdf

Note that Berchtold is taking the LED plunge itself. They have submitted an LED technology for FDA clearance. The product is expected to launch as early as Q4 2008. Once that happens, Berchtold will become the only company offering all three technologies for surgical lights--halogen, HID and LED.

"Everyone is familiar with halogen, which we will continue to offer in the market based on the fact that it is extremely cost effective," Campbell said. "Berchtold's approach isn't 'one size fits all,' and with our future-ready suspension, which can quickly swap heads between HID, Halogen, and LED, you can easily upgrade to future products and technologies."




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