Abstract: FRI-06
Sources of Funding: none

Introduction

Prior to the development of the mignon small light bulb, endoscopes struggled to gain traction in the medical field. The first endoscopes were expensive, cumbersome, and provided poor visualization. The mignon light bulb was a small, inexpensive interchangeable light bulb that screwed into the end of the endoscope allowing significant improvement in visualization.

Methods

A review of textbook chapters, peer-reviewed articles on pubmed, original product catalogues, surgical meeting catalogues, review of Electro Surgical Instruments Co (ESI) office records and company archives and original period instruments were performed on topics related to the development and impact of the mignon lamp.

Results

In 1879 when Edison introduced the light bulb, cystoscopy commonly used external light sources or open platinum incandescent filaments requiring extensive cooling mechanisms. The first urologic use of a modified Edison lamp came in 1883 when David Newman attached a miniature bulb to the end of a cystoscope. Three years later, German urologist Maximillian Nitze and Austrian instrument manufacturer Josef Leiter, introduced a cystoscope incorporating the new technology. Early Edison bulbs caused thermal injuries and were cost prohibitive for all but the most prominent urologists. Dr. Henry Koch, a urologist, and Charles Preston, an electrician, from Rochester, New York, modified the Edison bulb to a smaller size and amperage suitable for medical devices and the mignon lamp was born. ESI Co., founded in 1896 by Koch, Herman Behm, William Maier and Frederick Maier, marketed the mignon bulb as a &[Prime]cold&[Prime] lamp allowing contact with body tissue without the potential for burns and ulcerations. Patented in 1899, the Koch urethroscope was the first instrument to utilize the exchangeable lamps from ESI. The Device had no magnification, only a sheath French 20-33, an obturator and a light carrier with the ESI lamp fixture at the end. Through their collaboration with other notable urologists, including former AUA president Ferdinand C. Valentine, ESI created surgical instruments that allowed urologic diagnosis and treatment to reach new heights.

Conclusions

The mignon lamp, developed by a urologist in conjunction with ESI revolutionized endoscopy not only for urology but for many surgical disciplines. For the first time, endoscopic visualization of the bladder became accessible to the average urologist. Endoscopic illumination using mignon light bulbs was not improved upon until the advent of the quartz rod lens system by Hopkins and Stortz in the second half of the twentieth century.

Funding

none