Patient-Positioning System for Spinal Surgery Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spinal surgery and specialized surgical tables and componentry often provide limited access to certain portions of the spine and do not adequately facilitate access and stabilization to the desired degree.
Innovation Solution
A patient-positioning system and improved surgical componentry, integrated with a computer-control and data-integration system, allow for the articulation of patients in three planes (coronal, sagittal, and transverse) to enhance access and stabilization of the spine during surgery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional specialized surgical tables and componentry are used, then spinal surgery can be performed, but access to certain portions of the spine is limited and stabilization is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical table is divided into multiple independently controllable segments or zones that can be articulated separately. This segmentation allows different portions of the patient's body to be positioned independently, providing surgeons with access to multiple spinal regions simultaneously while maintaining overall system manageability through modular control.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical table incorporates dynamic articulation capabilities that allow real-time adjustment of patient positioning during surgery. The table can transition between different configurations (prone, supine, lateral, Fowler's positions) and provide continuous range of motion in multiple planes, enabling improved access to spinal portions without requiring multiple static tables or complex repositioning procedures.
2Productivity
If conventional surgical tables are used, then surgery can proceed, but simultaneous access to multiple spinal portions through different surgical pathways is not enabled
Solution Approach 1:
The table is segmented into multiple independently controllable regions that can be positioned to accommodate multiple surgical teams working simultaneously on different spinal portions. Each segment can be articulated independently to provide optimal access angles for different surgical approaches (anterior, lateral, posterior) without interfering with other surgical workflows.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical table is designed with multi-functional capabilities that allow it to support various surgical approaches and positions simultaneously. The same table system can accommodate anterior, lateral, and posterior approaches in different segments, and can transition between different surgical workflows without requiring specialized tables for each approach, thereby enabling parallel surgical productivity.
3Reliability
If conventional specialized componentry is used, then spinal surgery can be performed, but stabilization of the patient's spine is not achieved to the desired degree
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical table integrates multiple stabilization and positioning functions into a unified system. The table combines articulation mechanisms, positioning supports, and stabilization features that work together to provide comprehensive spine stabilization. This merging of functions into a single integrated platform achieves desired stabilization without requiring multiple separate complex devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The stabilization system incorporates dynamic adjustment capabilities that allow real-time optimization of spine support during surgery. The table can adapt its support characteristics based on the surgical phase and patient positioning requirements, providing enhanced stabilization when needed while maintaining operational flexibility. This dynamic adaptation achieves reliable stabilization without requiring overly complex fixed-positioning devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A patient-positioning system, computer-control and data-integration system, and surgical componentry are provided. The patient-positioning system can be used to manipulate the patient prior to, during, and after surgery to globally or regionally articulate the patient's body to facilitate stabilization of the patient's spine. And the computer-control and data-integration system can be used to facilitate operation of the patient-positioning system and enabling technologies use to perform surgery. Furthermore, the surgical componentry can be used to locally articulate the patient's body and/or the stabilize patient's spine. Surgical methods of using the patient-positioning system, the computer-control and data-integration system, and the surgical componentry for improving patient health outcomes are also provided.