There are many different types of surgeries and some of them take a while to complete. It’s crucial to have the right operating table for your practice.  Surgical tables can be found at hospitals, surgery centers, and at various healthcare facilities.  Operating tables are big and heavy and are usually stationary, but there are some models that are designed to be mobile.  Extra care must be taken into consideration when shipping and unpacking surgical tables as they can easily break if they are not handled properly.

There are many specialized surgical tables for cardiovascular, gynecology, orthopedic, and pediatric procedures.  Some operating tables are more general and can be used for different types of surgeries.  The common objective of all surgical table is to keep the patient secured and in the proper position for their procedure. Many operating tables have attachments and accessories that are designed to provide or extend support for different limbs or appendages. 

As imaging technology advances, many procedures rely on external monitors to see what’s happening internally.  Radiolucent surgical tables are best suited for these procedures.  Movement based operations should use an orthopedic operating table to give the precision and flexibility needed.   If you’re considering a general-purpose surgical table, make sure that you’ll have unobstructed access to the surgical site.

There are many surgical positions that various operating tables support.  These include:

• Lateral – The patent lays on their non-operative side.  This position is commonly used for chest, hip, and kidney procedures.
• Lithotomy – This position requires stirrups to raise and abduct the patient’s legs while the rest of their body is in a resting/supine position.
• Prone – Patients lie on their stomach and have their head turned to the side in this position.  Back, cervical spine, and rectal area procedures typically use the prone position.  
• Reverse Trendelenburg – The head is raised and the feet are lowered in this position.  This form is used for head and neck procedures.
• Sitting – Often referred to as Fowler’s position, the patient is seated at a 90 degree angle. The feet are usually on a padded foot board and the knees are slightly flexed.  Facial, shoulder, and neurosurgical procedures often use the sitting position. 
• Supine – This is the body’s natural resting position and the most commonly used for surgeries. 
• Trendelenburg – The upper torso is lowered and the feet are raised in a reclining position.  This position is ideal for viewing pelvic organs for laparoscopy and lower abdominal procedures.

Like many medical devices, there are weight limits.  Because of the weight of the operating tables, freight shipping with blanket wrapped service is required when purchasing surgical tables from Alternative Source Medical.  Brand new operating tables often start at around $20,000, but refurbished ones with a 90-day (extendable to one year) can be delivered at a fraction of the cost.   Check out our wide variety of specialized and general operating tables and call us with any questions.  We’ll be happy to help!