Surface pad system for a surgical table

#The present invention relates to a surgical table for use in a hospital operating room, and particularly to a surface pad system for a surgical table, the surface pad system being carried by a generally horizontal upwardly-facing table-top surface of the surgical table and being positioned to lie beneath the patient. More particularly, the present invention relates to a surface pad system that can regulate the temperature of the patient, assist in positioning the patient, and that minimizes the interface pressure between the patient and a patient-support surface of the surface pad system thereby minimizing the occurrence of pressure ulcers and neuropathy caused by prolonged exposure of the patient to high interface pressures between the patient and the patient-support surface.

#It is known to provide surface covers for operating tables for supporting patients above a table-top surface of the surgical table. Conventional surface covers typically include a foam rubber core surrounded by ticking material. It is also known to provide a gel pad between the foam rubber and a top panel of the ticking material covering the foam rubber. In addition, these operating table surface covers are typically provided in the form of a set of pads including a head pad supporting the head of the patient, a body pad supporting the torso of the patient, and a foot pad supporting the lower legs and feet of the patient. Occasionally, these sets include a fourth pad positioned longitudinally between the body pad and the foot pad and supporting the sacrum of the patient.

#It is also known to provide a patient support having an upwardly-facing top surface, the temperature of which is controlled. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,542 to Viard, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a fluidized patient support having a temperature-controlled top surface supporting the patient.

#The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a surface pad system in accordance with the present invention with portions broken away showing a plurality of pad sections and a control unit positioned to lie adjacent to the head end of the surface pad system, the control unit providing pressurized fluid, vacuum, and a temperature-controlled thermoregulation fluid to the pad sections, a head pad section adjacent to the head end of the surface pad system, a leg pad section longitudinally spaced-apart from the head pad section and positioned to lie near a foot end of the surface pad system, a body pad section positioned to lie between the head pad section and the leg pad section, the body pad section having first and second spaced-apart elongated sides, first and second arm pad sections positioned to lie adjacent to the first and second sides of the body pad section, respectively, conduits connecting the head, body, leg, and arm pad sections for flowing thermoregulation fluid therebetween, and additional conduits connecting the head, body, and leg pad sections to one another for flowing pressurized fluid and vacuum therebetween;

#FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2—2 of FIG. 1 showing a concave top surface of the arm pad section, the arm pad section including a base foam portion made from high density foam, a thermal pad formed to include a channel through which thermoregulation fluid flows, the thermal pad being positioned to lie on top of the base foam layer, and a gel pack positioned on top of the thermal pad, the gel pack including a casing containing viscous fluid which flows within the casing to minimize the interface pressure between the patient and the top surface of the arm section;

#A surface pad system 20 in accordance with the present invention includes a plurality of pad sections 30 carried by an upwardly-facing table-top 22 of a surgical table as shown in FIG. 1. Table-top 22 includes a head end 24, a foot end 26, a first side 38, and a second side 40. As used in this description, the phrase “head end 24” will be used to denote the end of any referred-to object that is positioned to lie nearest the head end 24 of table-top 22 and the phrase “foot end 26” will be used to denote the end of any referred-to object that is positioned to lie nearest foot end 26 of table-top 22. Likewise, the phrase “first side 38” will be used to denote the side of any referred-to object that is positioned to lie nearest first side 38 of table-top 22 and the phrase “second side 40” will be used to denote the side of any referred-to object that is positioned to lie nearest second side 40 of the table-top 22.

#Surface pad system 20 includes a head pad section 32 positioned to lie on head end 24 of table-top 22, a leg pad section 36 longitudinally spaced apart from head pad section 32 and positioned to lie on foot end 26 of table-top 22, and a body pad section 34 positioned to lie therebetween as shown in FIG. 1. Surface pad system 20 further includes a first arm pad section 42 positioned to lie adjacent to first side 38 of body pad section 34 and a second arm pad section 44 positioned to lie adjacent to second side 40 of body pad section 34.

#Head pad section 32 is formed to include an upwardly-facing top surface 46, body pad section 34 is formed to include an upwardly-facing top surface 48, leg pad section 36 is formed to include an upwardly-facing top surface 50, first arm pad section 42 is formed to include an upwardly-facing top surface 52, and second arm pad section 44 is formed to include an upwardly-facing top surface 54. Top surfaces 46, 48, 50, 52, 54 are spaced apart from table-top 22 of the surgical table by generally equivalent distances and are generally coplanar so that top surfaces 46, 48, 50, 52, 54 cooperate to define a generally horizontal upwardly-facing patient-support surface 56 of surface pad system 20.