SHINE A LIGHT A headlight should stay in place to illuminate the user's line of sight.

Your surgeons rely on headlights to illuminate the small-cavity sites they operate in. Here are the features they say matter most.

• Brightness. A headlight should illuminate the site without the need to reposition the overhead lamp. Its light should be even, not bright in the center of the spot and dimming toward the edges. Light intensity is measured in lux, with higher numbers indicating brighter light, and its color temperature — how closely the light approximates natural daylight — is expressed in degrees Kelvin, with higher numbers indicating whiter light. The whiter the light, the more accurate reflection of the illuminated subject's color.
• Mobility. Headlights with xenon bulbs are connected via fiber-optic cables to light source boxes, which are themselves plugged into electrical outlets. Battery-powered LED headlights, on the other hand, offer cordless operation. Some users prefer suitably long cables to a weighty cordless battery pack.
• Control. A headlight should stay in place, providing stable, direct illumination of the user's line of sight without drifting, slipping or requiring repeated manual repositioning. The system should also offer easy, intuitive adjustment of the light's intensity, focus and spot size.
• Longevity. How will the headlight's brightness hold up over time? How often do its bulbs need to be replaced? Can its battery power through an entire case without interruption? For LED headlights, which use solid-state semiconductors instead of filament bulbs to generate light, and whose maintenance is generally limited to charging the battery, longevity is a major selling point.
• Comfort. Consider the weight of the headlight, the amount of heat it generates, how well its pressure points are insulated, and how compatible it is with loupes or other eyewear.

Applied Fiberoptics, a division of Vitalcor
Gemini Plus Headlight
vitalcor.com
(800) 874-8358
Pricing: not disclosed
FYI: Improved optics in Applied Fiberoptics' Gemini Plus Headlight create brighter light, regardless of the light source used, and its spot diameter has been increased to 140mm. Spot-size and lens-adjustment knobs are easily reached on the right and left hand sides of the headlight. The low-profile design and encapsulated lens of the 8 oz. light make it conveniently compatible with loupes and let surgeons work closely without bumping headsets. The system will be available with an integrated camera later this year, says the company.

BFW
ChromaLume Turbo
bfwinc.com
(800) 717-4673
Pricing: not disclosed
FYI: A solid-state plasma light source capable of producing 10,000 hours of sunlight-equivalent white light (5,800 degrees Kelvin), BFW's ChromaLume Turbo pairs with the ergonomically engineered XtremeBeam fiber optic surgical headlight to provide on-the-spot illumination. While the lamp's normal mode delivers 170,000 lux at a 16-inch working distance, turbo mode ups the intensity to 220,000 lux. The system consumes less energy and results in less bulb waste than xenon lamps. On-board diagnostics and a digital display panel alert users to intensity, lamp life and maintenance requirements.

Cool-View
1400 XT LED
cool-view.net
(866) 961-6441
Pricing: $3,295
FYI: A redesign of the popular 1400 XL, Cool-View's 1400 XT LED surgical headlight features bright light, long battery life and comfort. The solid-state LED lamp produces 150,000 lux without generating heat or requiring bulb replacement. Its field of focus is adjustable from 50mm to 120mm. A lithium-ion battery pack offers 4 hours of power on a 30- to 90-minute charge, and is clipped to the belt for freedom of movement. Weighing in at only 5 oz., the headset includes a patented cooling system and replaceable comfort pads.

Designs For Vision
LED DayLite UltraMini
designsforvision.com
(800) 345-4009
Pricing: $795 to $825
FYI: Compact, lightweight and untethered, the LED DayLite UltraMini headlight from Designs For Vision brings 5,800-degree Kelvin, neutral, white light to your line of sight. Weighing only 14g, the light source can be attached to loupes or worn on a lightweight headband. The LEDs offer adjustable intensity and eliminate the need to replace bulbs. Each rechargeable lithium-ion power pack delivers up to 5 hours of maximum intensity light with a full charge.

DRE Medical
Xavier 3
dremed.com
(800) 462-8195
Pricing: $1,295
FYI: The lightweight, cable-free, LED-illuminated Xavier 3 headlight is comfortable to wear and conveniently bright for surgical use. The lamp provides up to 50,000 hours of focusable light over a 50mm to 70mm spot (at a 25cm working distance). A battery pack can be detached from the headlight and attached to a belt or worn on a lanyard around the neck. Alternatively, an optional direct adaptor can supply continuous illumination.

Enova Illumination
XLT-125
enovaillumination.com
(651) 236-8858
Pricing: $1,499 to $2,999
FYI: The XLT-125, Enova Illumination's latest surgical headlight, incorporates 2 extended brackets to provide coaxial articulation with or without loupes and an adjustable aperture that lets users create spot sizes from 2 to 6 inches in diameter. The light, 125,000 lux of white light for accurate tissue rendition and deep cavity illumination, can be customized in color temperature and polarization through a series of attachable lenses and filters. It weighs 7 oz. and has an adjustable padded headband. When used with Enova's B4X battery pack, it can provide 8 to 24 hours of illumination before recharging.

Heine USA
LED MicroLight
heine.com
(800) 367-4872
Pricing: $2,200
FYI: The high-performance LED and precision optics of Heine's MicroLight combine to produce a bright-white, homogenous, adjustable-intensity light that fills the entire spot from edge to edge. Delivering up to 40,000 lux at a working distance of 25cm and color temperature of 6,250 degrees Kelvin, the lamp has an approximate working life of 50,000 hours. The battery pack lasts 17 hours at full intensity and fully recharges in 2 hours. Mounting options include Heine's light and adjustable S-frame glasses or the company's lightweight headband.

Luxtel
OptiLux
luxtel.com
(978) 774-9136
Pricing: $3,000
FYI: Luxtel's OptiLux system utilizes a single, large-area LED chip and custom collection optics to channel light through 3.8mm fiber-optic cables and deliver 130,000 lux of white light from its headset. The ruggedly designed, solid-state unit surpasses halogen and metal-halide lamps and their color temperature inconsistencies associated with intensity settings and equipment age. The system also reduces power consumption by up to 50% and its long chip life reduces the cost of ownership. Its front panel displays light intensity and buttons for its control.

Vikon Surgical
One HeadLit
vikonsurgical.com
(866) 963-3894
Pricing: $2,500 to $3,500
FYI: Vikon Surgical invites you to see and feel the difference in its One HeadLit illumination system. The headlight delivers consistently bright white light and optimized color rendering. Proprietary technology removes ultraviolet and infrared frequencies from the spectrum, producing a homogenous light that is optimized for tissue differentiation and that brings clarity to surgical visualization. The tether-free design provides free movement in the OR. With no bulbs to replace or cables to wrangle, the system is virtually maintenance-free.

Synovis Micro Companies Alliance
Gem Sapphire Headlight
synovismicro.com
(800) 510-3318
Pricing: Up to $2,495
FYI: Weighing less than 11 oz., the Gem Sapphire Headlight from Synovis is cordless for untethered mobility. Its LED technology delivers a whiter, more consistent light with less heat for energy efficiency and less drying of delicate tissue. The light is 200,000 lux at the highest intensity with a color temperature of 6,500 degrees Kelvin for clear visualization. The beam delivers edge-to-edge consistency in a spot of 2.5 inches at an 18-inch working distance. Lightweight lithium-polymer batteries deliver over 6 continuous hours of power and a "hot swap" feature allows continuous operation.