The operating table is one of the most important utensils in the operating room. It is on it that the surgical procedure is performed on the patient.
What is the operating table?
The operating table is one of the most important utensils of the operating room. ‘Operating table’ or operating table is the medical term for a special table on which the patient lies during a surgical procedure. It is used for special positioning of the patient and thus offers the surgeon optimal conditions for performing an operation. It is suitable for a wide variety of procedures. Until the 19th century, it was common practice to operate on patients in a bed. However, due to the increasing special requirements of surgical procedures, medicine moved from the bed to a special table based on the joints of the human body. Thus, it was not possible to position the patient stably in a bed. In addition, the working height proved to be unsatisfactory.
Forms, types and kinds
Operating tables come in a variety of designs depending on the specialty. In addition, the tables can be adjusted hydraulically and are suitable for different weight classes. For example, some operating tables can support a weight of up to 500 kilograms. The operating table is the focal point of the operating room. The allocation of other medical equipment such as operating lights, ceiling pendants, surgical microscopes, climate control ceilings or telemedicine equipment depends on the location of the operating table. In their early days, operating tables were made of wood. It was not until the end of the 19th century that they were equipped with steel and castors, which gave them mobility. From 1890, the first adjustable and segmented operating table was used, which allowed the surgical positioning developed by Friedrich Trendelenburg (1844-1924). This made this form of positioning possible without the help of an assistant. Nowadays, operating tables can be adjusted and moved by electronic remote control. For this purpose, the table’s lying surface is divided into several segments. With these, independent adjustment is possible. Some modern variants also enable even more patient-friendly positioning by allowing them to be moved in all directions by means of direction-lockable double swivel castors. Some operating tables are designed for special procedures such as endoscopy or gynecology. Furthermore, the head end can be lowered or raised, the height can be adjusted and the table can be rotated. Special operating tables are also available for children. They are adapted to their small body size and can be operated in a sitting position. The gynecological chair and the dentist’s chair have similarities with the operating table.
Structure and mode of operation
The structure of an operating table consists of a lying surface, which is located on a mobile carriage. During surgery, the table is attached to a column in the center of the operating room. The various adjustment options, which are manual, electromechanical or electrohydraulic, allow the table to be set up in such a way that the patient can be positioned appropriately for treatment. In order to counteract positioning damage to the anesthetized patient during the operation, e.g. decubitus, the operating table is equipped with gel cushions or mats. To prevent the patient from falling off the table during the operation, it is fixed with fixation straps equipped with a Velcro fastener or belts. Furthermore, an operating table consists of numerous accessories. These include arm rests, head rests, split leg plates, a battery, collection containers, arthroscopy leg holders, foot switches, holders for remote controls, supports, push handles, hand tables and paper roll holders. Depending on requirements, the equipment of the operating table can be easily adapted to the procedure to be performed. For example, there is the option of attaching a retractor system to the rail of the table, which is used to keep the surgical field open. There are also other aids such as the so-called Ulmer wheel. This instrument can be used to securely fix leads as well as leads for anesthesia guidance or monitoring. Since an operating table is a medical product, its equipment is subject to the relevant legal regulations. These include the resistance of the material to disinfectants and other liquids.Ideally, disinfection of the operating table is possible in a decontamination machine. Electrical safety, which is important in defibrillation and electrosurgery, for example, also plays an important role. If the patient is very overweight, the operating table must be able to withstand the high weight. It is also important that the table surface is permeable to X-rays, so that X-ray checks can be carried out during the operation. In addition, the operating table is capable of electrical heating so that the patient does not cool down during the operation.
Medical and health benefits
Over the years, operating tables became increasingly important for medicine. For example, surgical procedures could be performed much better on these tables than in a hospital bed because of their special requirements. From the early 20th century, hydraulic operating tables also came into use. Electric motors followed in the late 1950s. Since the 1960s, the fixed column system has been used in an operating room, making it easier to move the patient around. At present, even high-tech products, whose control is carried out by microprocessors, are used. The risk of positioning damage can be effectively minimized with the help of gel pads or SFC pads including a viscoelastic foam core. The mobile nature of the operating table contributes to easy transport of the patient from the bedside to anesthesia. The operating table enables patient-specific positioning, which allows the surgeon to provide optimal treatment. In this way, both the patient and the doctor ultimately benefit from this medical device.
