# US 4,391,438 A · Patient support attachment for surgical tables

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- Number: US 4,391,438 A
- Document ID: US4391438A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/273,210
- Filed: 1981-06-12
- Granted: 1983-07-05
- Earliest claimed: 1981-06-12
- Inventors: Charles A. Heffington, Jr.
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4391438A

## CPC

- A61G 13/12: Rests specially adapted therefor; Arrangements of patient-supporting surfaces {(rests for the surgeon A61B90/60; restraining devices A61F5/37)}
- A61G 13/0054: {specially adapted for back or spinal surgeries}
- A61G 13/101: {Clamping means for connecting accessories to the operating table (supports as part of surgical instruments A61B90/50)}
- A61G 13/121: {Head or neck}
- A61G 13/122: {Upper body, e.g. chest}
- A61G 13/123: {Lower body, e.g. pelvis, hip, buttocks}
- A61G 13/1235: {Arms}
- A61G 13/1245: {Knees, upper or lower legs}
- A61G 2200/325: prone
- A61G 2200/38: kneeling
- A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00)

## Abstract

To facilitate certain spinal surgery requiring the patient to be in a prone sitting position, a simplified and comparatively inexpensive support attachment for operating tables is provided having a greater range of adjustments and requiring fewer parts. The attachment consists of two support rods held in clamps on opposite sides of the table and engaging two like clamps on opposite sides of a padded support panel for the buttocks and upper thigh region of the patient. The support panel is held in spaced relationship to one end of the table.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A patient support attachment for an operating table to facilitate surgery of the spine, the operating table having an end support portion for the arms, head and shoulders of a patient in a prone position and having an adjustable generally level support platform for the legs of a prone patient in a kneeling position with the support platform and legs spaced from the adjacent end of the operating table at an elevation below the level of said end support portion of the table, and the end support portion of the operating table carrying a pair of opposite side adjustable swivel clamps, said attachment comprising a pair of spaced substantially parallel longitudinally extending elongated support rods adjustably held in said opposite side swivel clamps of the table and extending for a substantial distance beyond the end support portion of the table in cantilevered relationship to the table, said support rods being longitudinally adjustable forwardly and rearwardly in said side swivel clamps of the table and being swingable upwardly and downwardly vertically around the transverse axes of the side swivel clamps and being lockable by such clamps in selected adjusted positions, a support panel for the buttocks and thighs of a patient disposed between said support rods in spaced relationship to said end support portion of the table and above the level of said support platform for the legs, and another pair of opposite side adjustable swivel clamps carried by said support panel for the buttocks and thighs and being adjustably engaged with and bodily supported by said support rods and also being adjustably engaged with said support panel, whereby the support panel for the buttocks and thighs may be moved forwardly or rearwardly along the longitudinal axes of the support rods, may be rotated in either direction around the transverse axes of the last-named pair of swivel clamps and may be shifted in opposite directions on a linear path across the rotational axis of said support panel as defined by the last-named swivel clamps and locked securely in a selected adjusted position on the support rods by the last-named swivel clamps, the body of a patient utilizing the attachment being substantially unsupported between the end support portion of the table and the support panel for the buttocks and thighs.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A patient support attachment for an operating table as defined in claim 1, and said support panel for the buttocks and thighs comprising a substantially rigid panel having padding at least on one side thereof.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A patient support attachment for an operating table as defined in claim 1, and said support rods having intermediate lateral offsets whereby the rods can be rotationally adjusted to fit operating tables of different widths.

### Claim 4

A support attachment for operating tables particularly for patients undergoing spinal surgery comprising a pair of spaced substantially parallel elongated support rods adapted for connection adjustably near their forward ends to an operating table with the rods extending beyond one end of a table in cantilevered relationship thereto, adjustable means connecting the rods with a table and enabling the rods to be adjusted forwardly and rearwardly along their longitudinal axes and to have their rear ends swung upwardly or downwardly on an arcuate path in vertical planes and to be locked in selected adjusted positions relative to a table, a support panel for the buttocks and thighs of a patient disposed between rear end portions of the rods, and means adjustably connecting the support panel to the rods in such a manner that the support panel may be shifted forwardly and rearwardly on a linear path along the rods, may be rotated in two directions on an axis transverse to the rods and may be shifted in opposite directions on another linear path across the axis of rotation of the support panel, and the support panel being rigidly lockable in the selected adjusted position on the rods.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A support attachment for operating tables as defined in claim 4, and said adjustable means and said means comprising respectively a pair of swivel clamps on opposite sides of an operating table and a pair of swivel clamps on opposite sides of said support panel for the buttocks and thighs.