Reconfigurable Surgical Table Adaptor for Cervical Spine Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional surgical tables often provide suboptimal access for surgeons to the surgical site, particularly in surgeries requiring access to the cervical spine, as the typical arrangement of the support top relative to the support units can restrict the surgeon's ability to position themselves for optimal access.
Innovation Solution
A reconfigurable surgical table with a support top that can be extended footwardly beyond the foot support unit by using an adaptor instead of the crown, allowing the table to be adjusted into a non-baseline configuration that improves access by enabling the surgeon to position themselves laterally closer to the patient and access the surgical site along its entire length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the support top is arranged in a typical configuration relative to the support units, then the structural stability and simplicity are maintained, but the surgeon's access to the surgical site is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The support top configuration is made dynamic and adjustable rather than fixed. The system allows the support top to be positioned at multiple locations along the longitudinal axis by adjusting the connecting member between the head support unit and foot support unit, enabling the surgeon to optimize access to the surgical site while maintaining structural stability
Solution Approach 2:
The support top system is divided into separable components including the head support unit, foot support unit, and an adjustable connecting member. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of each component's position and orientation, providing flexibility in configuring the support top arrangement to match different surgical access requirements
2Ease of operation
If the support top extends beyond the foot support unit to improve surgical access, then the surgeon's maneuverability is enhanced, but the device complexity increases due to the need for adaptors and reconfiguration mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The foot support unit is designed with multi-functionality by incorporating an adapter assembly that can be interchangeably configured with different adapters. These adapters enable the foot support unit to accommodate various support top configurations, allowing the same base structure to serve multiple functions including extended positioning beyond the foot support unit without requiring entirely separate structures for each configuration
3Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed support top arrangement is used, then the device simplicity and reliability are maintained, but the adaptability to different surgical procedures is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The support top arrangement transitions from a fixed configuration to a dynamic, adjustable system. The connecting member between support units can be repositioned along the longitudinal axis, and the adapter assembly can be reconfigured with different adapters, allowing the system to adapt to various surgical procedures while maintaining a relatively simple base structure
Solution Approach 2:
The system is segmented into modular components including interchangeable adapters and an adjustable connecting member. This modular segmentation enables different configurations to be assembled from the same set of components, providing versatility for different surgical procedures without requiring entirely different device structures for each procedure type
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C
Figure 2
AI summary
A patient support device includes an alternate support top, a head support unit partially supporting the alternate support top, a foot support unit longitudinally spaced from the head support unit and an adaptor associated with the foot support unit. The adaptor is securable to the foot support unit so that the adaptor and foot support unit cooperate to partially support the alternate support top so that the alternate support top extends footwardly beyond the foot support unit. The roles of the head and foot suppport units may be reversed. A related patient support system includes a baseline set of support tops and a set of alternate support tops.