See More, Do More. Mitaka’s MM77 Revolutionizes Surgical Microscopy

Surgical microscopes and iPhones have something in common: most new product releases are relatively minor updates. There are always new bells and whistles that users could take or leave, and there is always a compromise: the missing headphone jack for iPhones, or the narrower field of view that comes with increased magnification for scopes, for example. Very few new models of either device have truly changed how we function in work or life.

Now, Mitaka is throwing surgical microscopy for a loupe. The newly released MM77 scope is being billed as the “resolution revolution.” It doesn’t just add new functions, higher resolution, or brighter light—the MM77 has changed the fundamentals of visualization.

At the most basic level, the MM77 features a maximum of 21.4x native magnification—a significant improvement over the current best competitor scope, which only reaches 13x. But magnifying power is only one aspect of Mitaka’s brand new optical platform.

First-In-Class Optical Platform Gives 140% of Competitor Resolution

For the past few decades, most surgical microscope developments have focused on secondary functions—nice-to-haves that are convenient (and yes, cool), but nothing that has significantly improved core optical performance. The MM77 uses the most advanced optical design ever to give surgeons the highest possible resolution without compromising any other visual qualities.  Resolution is typically measured in line pairs per millimeter, where we measure the number of black and white line pairs that can be packed into a millimeter while still discerning individual lines.  The maximum resolution of the MM77 is 135 lp/mm at 200mm working distance, compared to the next best competitor scopes, which feature 68-70 lp/mm at similar working distance.

The MM77 achieves this via a huge, 30mm diameter zoom aperture—nearly double the industry standard of 16mm. This means that the MM77 lens group transmits more than twice as much light as the next best scopes in market. And beyond just being brighter, this also increases patient safety. By radically increasing the light reaching the surgeon’s eyes, the surgeon can keep the lamps set much lower without compromising their view, reducing any potential risk of heat damage to the tissue.

60% Bigger Zoom with No Loss of Quality

The MM77 features the first and only 10:1 zoom ratio—a 60% bigger zoom than the industry standard of 6:1 or 5:1. But higher magnification has traditionally meant compromising on both brightness and image quality. As the first manufacturer to introduce aspherical lenses to surgical microscopy, Mitaka has eliminated the need to choose between seeing bigger and closer, or seeing better.

Surgeons have long accepted the trade-off that as you zoom to a higher magnification, the image dims, since the amount of light entering the lens decreases the higher you zoom. A larger aperture—like the MM77’s 30mm aperture—will let in more light, but a bigger aperture necessitates a bigger lens, and this becomes a problem with traditional spherical lenses. A larger spherical lens is thicker than a smaller one, leading to aberrations and a loss of image quality. Aberrations are traditionally corrected by using a greater number of spherical lenses in the optical assembly. But using fewer aspheric lenses— as opposed to more spherical lenses—can correct aberrations more effectively, maintaining brightness, resolution, and image quality to a degree never seen before in surgical microscopy.

While the zoom range of the MM77 is bigger, it’s also the fastest zoom on the market. Operators can achieve full range in 0.4 seconds, seamlessly performing tasks that require switching between magnification levels, like driving needles at high magnification and tying knots at low magnification.

Widest Field of View of Any Surgical Microscope

Another accepted trade-off for surgeons is that as magnification increases, the Field of View (FOV) decreases. This is another area where the MM77’s aspheric lenses shine, eliminating distortion on the periphery and creating a wider FOV. The minimum magnification of the MM77 achieves a 220mm FOV at 640mm working distance (WD), and a 98mm FOV at 220mm WD.  

A wider FOV coupled with the first-in-class brightness and resolution of the MM77 means that surgeons will no longer have to choose between seeing a large area versus seeing in greater detail. It reduces the need to reposition the scope to view a different target or continuously follow the surgical instruments, leading to shorter, more efficient procedures. Plus, greater situational awareness reduces the risk of unintended complications on the periphery. Both surgeons and patients will benefit.

Better Visualization, Better Collaboration

Microsurgery is a team effort, and the all-new, ground-up optical design of the MM77 allows for a much-improved working dynamic between the surgeon and everyone else in the OR. For both 2D and 3D options, the MM77 offers on-screen resolution of 90 lp/mm—better than any existing surgical microscope, allowing the entire room to see better than ever before. And while it’s not the only scope with 4K, 3D video, it’s the only one that has the optical performance to match the full potential of 4K technology.  

An independent focus for the rear assistant is industry-standard, but Mitaka takes this a step further with simultaneous side and rear stereo assistant observers, a feature exclusive to the MM77. The presence of the side assistant observer doesn’t move the main surgeon’s binocular farther from field, nor does it prohibit the presence or use of the rear assistant. This is key for teaching institutions who want residents or fellows to get used to looking through a microscope–not at a screen. Ergonomic options enhance the comfort and performance of surgeons and assistance of all heights, without affecting each other.

Focus on Functionality

At a time when bells and whistles get all the attention, the MM77 offers a return to simplicity, reliability, and visual performance. An intuitive, analog control panel for patient-critical functions eliminates potential points of failure and is simple enough for even less-experienced operators. Video components are housed separately from core functions of the scope and stand to ensure dependability of the scopes most critical function.

Since the first monocular surgical microscope was used by a Swedish otolaryngologist in 1921, the core function of the microscope hasn’t changed. And for decades, the basic optical assumptions that limit real change in visualization have gone unchallenged by manufacturers—until now. With the MM77, Mitaka revisited the foundation of microscopy to prioritize visualization of micro anatomy over everything else.