Vacuum-activated veterinary surgical positioning system

A vacuum activated veterinary surgical positioning system for supporting and retaining the body of a four-legged animal in a selected position, comprising:

• a bag made of flexible, air impermeable material having top and bottom opposing walls air impermeably joined at their edges, the bag comprising:
• a generally rectangular portion suitable for supporting the trunk of a four-legged animal, the generally rectangular portion having corners at its upper and lower ends, the generally rectangular portion having a length generally equal to the length of the animal's trunk, the generally rectangular portion having a width generally equal to the width of the animal's trunk plus twice the depth of the animal's trunk, whereby the generally rectangular portion can be folded up about the animal's trunk to support the same, and
• an upper centrally disposed, extended portion for supporting the head and neck of the animal, the length of the extended portion being sufficient to support the animal's head, the width of the extended portion being substantially less than the width of the generally rectangular portion but sufficient to support the animal's head and neck,
• the interiors of the generally rectangular portion and the extended portion being wholly in communication with each other without compartmentalization;
• a charge of elastically deformable beads comprising expanded plastic materials disposed within the bag, the beads remaining loose within the bag when the bag is in the unevacuated condition whereby the edges of the generally rectangular portion can be easily moved and folded up along the sides of the animal's trunk when the same is in the selected position;
• a valve communicating with the interior of the bag for evacuating air therefrom, whereby upon evacuation of the air from within the bag, the beads in the generally rectangular and extended portions of the bag interengage to form a rigid structure to support and immobilize the animal's trunk in the selected position, while the extended portion supports and stabilizes the animal's head and neck in a neutral position;
• and
• a strap attached to each of the corners of the generally rectangular portion of the bag, each of the straps being adapted to encircle a respective leg of the animal to retain the same in a desired position after the bag is evacuated to form the rigid structure.