Design of a more cost effective and durable fiber optic cable for medical applications

Since the development of fiber optic technology in the 1960s, fiber optic cables have been used extensively as surgical field illumination devices. The lighting provided by functioning fiber optic cables has contributed to the success of many operational procedures. Current surgical fiber optic cables, however, are susceptible to damage during sterilization and over bending during storage. To increase the durability and life of surgical optical cables, a cost effective protective armor system is proposed. The protective armor was developed using computer aided design methods to restrict cable bending and pressure damage. Mechanical bending and compression tests demonstrated the durability of the protective armor. The introduction of an optical gel into the cable to increase the durability is also considered. The proposed armor, therefore, has the potential to increase the usefully life of surgical optical cables and significantly reduce replacement costs.