Single-Column Surgical Table Structure for Stationary Upper-Body Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical tables with sliding chest platforms risk dislodging anesthesia equipment and causing pressure injuries during patient repositioning, especially when translating the patient's head, posing safety hazards.
Innovation Solution
A surgical table with a single column support structure featuring a rigid outer frame and an articulating inner frame, coupled via a sliding and pivoting hinge, allows the patient's upper body to remain stationary while the table articulates, eliminating the need for a sliding chest platform and reducing the risk of equipment dislodgment and pressure injuries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a sliding chest platform is used to reposition the patient during surgery, then the patient can be moved to different positions (flexion, extension, Trendelenberg), but the patient's head and upper body move along with the table, risking dislodgment of anesthesia equipment and causing pressure injuries
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical table is divided into two independent segments: the outer frame that moves with the table articulation, and the inner frame that remains stationary to support the patient's head and upper body. This segmentation allows the lower body to be repositioned while the upper body stays fixed, preventing anesthesia equipment dislodgment and pressure injuries.
Solution Approach 2:
A hinge mechanism acts as an intermediary between the moving outer frame and the stationary inner frame. This hinge allows the table to articulate for patient repositioning while decoupling the movement from the patient support surface, enabling independent control of table position and patient position.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the surgical table articulates to position the patient in different orientations, then various surgical procedures can be performed, but the patient's torso must slide over the table which causes dragging and spinal distraction/compression
Solution Approach 1:
The table structure is segmented into an outer frame that performs the articulation movement and an inner frame that remains stationary. This allows the table to achieve various orientations for different surgical procedures while the patient remains fixed on the inner frame, eliminating torso dragging and spinal compression.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of moving the patient support surface with the table articulation, the invention inverts the approach by keeping the support surface stationary and allowing the outer frame to move around it. This reversal eliminates the harmful dragging effect while maintaining surgical adaptability.
3Device complexity
If a single column support structure is used, then the table design is simplified and space is optimized, but the table must translate along the base which could affect patient positioning stability
Solution Approach 1:
The single column support structure is segmented into a movable outer frame and a stationary inner frame. The outer frame translates along the base for table repositioning, while the inner frame remains fixed to provide stable patient support, maintaining both simplicity and stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mechanism serves as an intermediary that decouples the translation movement of the single column support from the patient support surface. This allows the table to move efficiently along the base while the patient remains stable and stationary.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical table for supporting a patient over a floor and including a base assembly, a support column assembly and a patient support structure. The base assembly supported on the floor and including a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a member extending along a base longitudinal axis between the first and second ends. The support column assembly moveably coupled with the base assembly and configured to translate between the first and second ends of the base assembly along the member extending therebetween, the support column assembly being the only support column assembly coupled with the base assembly. The patient support structure including a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the first and second ends, the second end of the patient support structure supported off of the support column assembly in a cantilevered fashion.