Patent Description:
Hitherto, for performing surgical intervention in the field of kidneys, special mechanical configurations of an operating table have been requested. Usually, a so-called kidney bridge was installed between two sections of a tabletop of the operating table, namely between a seat section and a back section of the tabletop. This kidney bridge served for flexing a patient in a lateral position for a better access to a point of interest in the region of the kidneys.

However, due to the additional mechanical parts and actuators, a range of movement of a column head of the operating table supporting the tabletop was limited which deteriorated the chance of positioning a patient into a convenient position. Furthermore, a position of the patient in a longitudinal direction of the operating table with respect to the kidney bridge had to be adjusted before the surgery and this position was hard to be altered during surgery if another position would be more suitable. The reason is that the entire body of the patient had to be moved which was very difficile since the patient was anesthetized and fixed to the tabletop. Moreover, upon using the kidney bridge, pressure points and, therefore, damages of the skin occurred.

<CIT> discloses a patient support system including patient support tops for accommodating various body positions of a patient occupying the patient support tops. The patient support system may include various features to accommodate patient body positioning to facilitate surgical access.

Therefore, the object underlying the invention is to remedy the above-mentioned disadvantages and to provide a system for operating a patient which enables a flexible positioning of the patient.

The object is achieved by a system according to claim <NUM> and a method according to claim <NUM>. Advantageous further developments are included in the dependent claims.

According to an aspect of the invention, a system comprises an operating table, an air compressor , and an air bladder configured to be inflated by the air compressor, wherein the operating table comprises a tabletop including an upper deformable portion and a lower rigid portion and a split pad comprising a first layer and a second layer, configured to host the air bladder between the layers. The first layer and second layer joined to each other in a portion at an end of the split pad. The first layer providing at least a portion of the upper deformable portion and the second layer providing at least a portion of the lower rigid portion. Wherein, the tabletop is configured such that the air bladder is movable when being hosted between the first layer and second layer of the split pad. The tabletop comprises several sections respectively linked by a joint and the air bladder is movable into a position adjacent to one of the joints.

By this configuration, flexing of a patient's body without additional mechanical parts and their disadvantages of limiting a range of movement of a column head and, furthermore, providing a flexibility in positioning and a protection of the skin of the patient are possible.

When the split pad is provided, the second layer forming the lower rigid portion can be attached to a rigid plate of the tabletop such that the split pad is immovably attached to the tabletop and the split pad cannot slip out of position. Nevertheless, the first layer forming the upper deformable portion can deform with respect to the second layer forming the lower rigid portion such that it can follow a change of the shape of the bladder.

Due to this movability, an altered position of the point of application of the flexing with respect to the patient's body is easily possible even when the patient's body is immovably fixed to the tabletop.

Due to this configuration, a support for convenient positions for specific surgical interventions is possible.

According to a further advantageous implementation of the system, the tabletop is configured to provide a position of a patient's body for a kidney surgery.

In this case, the tabletop provides a sufficient movability of the several sections of the tabletop, in particular, of the back section with respect to the seat section, so that in combination with the air bladder, a suitable positioning of the patient's body and a convenient access to a kidney of the patient for the kidney surgery are possible.

In a further advantageous implementation of the system, the system comprises a control panel configured to control an air pressure in the air bladder.

By the provision of such a control panel, an adjustment of the air pressure in the air bladder and, therefore, an extension of the air bladder for achieving a suitable position of the patient's body for a respective intervention is easily possible.

In a further advantageous implementation of the system, at least one of the air bladder and the air compressor comprises a pressure sensor detecting the air pressure in the air bladder, and a controller controlling the air compressor is configured to process the detected air pressure and to provide a constant air pressure set at the control panel.

In this configuration, the system can ensure a constant position of the patient's body in order to maintain the convenient position for the respective surgical intervention so as to assist in a safe surgical intervention.

According to a further advantageous implementation of the system, the system further comprises a foam pad positioned between the air bladder and a patient's body.

The air pad between the air bladder and the patient's body assists in avoiding pressure points and, therefore, skin damage.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method includes the step of inflating air pressure into the air bladder hosted in the tabletop by the air compressor and thereby deforming the upper deformable portion of the tabletop, and adjusting the air pressure in the air bladder such that a requested position of a patient's body is achieved by the deformation of the upper deformable portion. The method further includes the step of adjusting a position of the air bladder by moving the air bladder hosted between the upper deformable portion and a lower rigid portion of the tabletop.

By this step, an altered position of the point of application of the flexing with respect to the patient's body is easily possible even when the patient is anesthetized and immovably fixed to the tabletop.

By this method, flexing of a patient's body without additional mechanical parts and their disadvantages of limiting a range of movement of a column head and, furthermore, providing a flexibility and a protection of the skin of the patient are possible.

In a further advantageous implementation of the method, it includes the step of actively maintaining the air pressure constant by the air compressor during a requested period.

Due to this step, the system can ensure a constant position of the patient's body in order to maintain the convenient position for the respective surgical intervention so as to assist in a safe surgical intervention.

According to a further advantageous implementation of the method, it further includes the step of varying air pressure in the air bladder for changing the position of the patient's body according to a modified request.

When the air pressure in the air bladder is varied, the position of the patient's body can be altered in a controlled manner so as, if requested, to enhance accessibility of specific organs of the patient's body.

Below, the invention is elucidated by means of embodiments referring to the attached drawing.

<FIG> shows a system <NUM> according to an embodiment of the invention. The system <NUM> comprises an operating table <NUM>, an air bladder <NUM>, and an air compressor <NUM>.

The operating table <NUM> comprises a tabletop <NUM> including several sections. Amongst others, in this embodiment, the tabletop <NUM> includes a back section <NUM> and a seat section <NUM> which are formed as respectively including an upper deformable portion <NUM> and a lower rigid portion <NUM>.

The upper deformable portion <NUM> of the seat section <NUM> is formed by a first layer of a split pad <NUM> and the lower rigid portion <NUM> is formed by a second layer of the split pad <NUM>. The upper first and the second layer are joined to each other in a portion at a defined end of the split pad <NUM>. Alternatively but not part of the invention, the layers of the split pad <NUM> are not joined to each other. The first layer and the second layer respectively comprise different structures for respectively having a different stiffness. Alternatively, the first layer and the second layer have a same structure and the stiffness of the lower rigid portion <NUM> is caused by a rigid plate to which the second layer of the split pad <NUM> is attached. As a further alternative, the upper deformable portion <NUM> is formed by a bolster of the tabletop <NUM> and the lower rigid portion <NUM> is formed by a rigid plate-shaped component of the seat section of the tabletop <NUM>. In this embodiment, the split pad <NUM> is formed so as to cover a face of one of the sections of the tabletop <NUM>, however, in alternative embodiments, one split pad <NUM> or one bolster as the upper deformable portion <NUM> can cover several sections or the entire face of the tabletop <NUM>. Optionally, the plate-shaped component can be made of a radiolucent material.

The air bladder <NUM> is inflatable by the air compressor <NUM>. The system <NUM> comprises a control panel <NUM> configured to control an air pressure in the air bladder <NUM>. The control panel <NUM> comprises operating elements for inflating air pressure into the air bladder <NUM> and for releasing the air pressure from the air bladder <NUM>. Alternatively, the operating elements enable a setting of the air pressure in the air bladder <NUM>. The operating elements operate a controller <NUM> which is included in the control panel <NUM> or, alternatively, in the compressor <NUM>. The compressor <NUM> comprises a pressure sensor <NUM>. The pressure sensor <NUM> detects air pressure in the air bladder <NUM> and the controller <NUM> controlling the air compressor <NUM> processes the detected air pressure to provide a constant air pressure set at the control panel <NUM>. The controller <NUM> is an electronic controller, however, in an alternative embodiment, the controller is a pneumatic controller. Alternatively, the pressure sensor <NUM> is not provided and the air pressure in the air bladder is adjusted manually.

The sections of the tabletop <NUM>, in particular, the back section <NUM> and the seat section <NUM> are linked by a joint <NUM>. In this embodiment, also the remaining sections are respectively linked by the joints <NUM>, however, in an alternative embodiment, not all of the sections are linked by the joints <NUM> but they are rigidly linked.

The system <NUM> hosts the air bladder <NUM> between the upper deformable portion <NUM> and the lower rigid portion <NUM> of the tabletop <NUM>. The air bladder <NUM> is movable when being hosted between the upper deformable portion <NUM> and the lower rigid portion <NUM>, in particular, the air bladder <NUM> is movable into a position adjacent to one of the joints <NUM>. Furthermore, in particular, the air bladder <NUM> is movable into a position adjacent to the joint <NUM> linking the back section <NUM> and the seat section <NUM>. In the shown position, in connection with the joints <NUM>, the tabletop <NUM> is configured to provide a position of a patient's body (not shown) suitable for a kidney surgery when the patient's body is placed on the tabletop <NUM> as usual.

The system <NUM> further comprises a foam pad <NUM> positioned between the air bladder <NUM> and a patient's body (not shown). Alternatively, the foam pad <NUM> is not provided. <FIG> shows a flowchart illustrating a method according to the invention. In use, in step S1, the air pressure is inflated by the air compressor <NUM> into the air bladder <NUM> hosted in the tabletop <NUM> and, thereby, the upper deformable portion <NUM> of the tabletop <NUM> is deformed. The upper deformable portion <NUM> is upwardly bent by the air bladder <NUM> so as to provide a shape of the surface of the tabletop <NUM> to generate a flexed position of the patient's body. In step S2, the air pressure in the air bladder <NUM> and, in step S3, a position of the airbladder <NUM> are adjusted such that a requested position of a patient's body is achieved by the deformation of the upper deformable portion <NUM>. Therefore, the air bladder <NUM> is moved between the upper deformable portion <NUM> and the lower rigid portion <NUM> into a suitable position. The sequence of adjusting the air pressure and the position is not fix and it also can be an iterative process. In case of a kidney surgery, the suitable position is close to the joint <NUM> between the back section <NUM> and the seat section <NUM>. Thereby, the flexed position of the patient's body suitable for kidney surgery is provided. Alternatively, the air bladder <NUM> is already in a suitable position for a planned surgery so that adjustment thereof is not necessary. Furthermore, alternatively, the suitable position is not close to the joint <NUM> between the back section <NUM> and the seat section <NUM> but at another suitable location.

In step <NUM>, the air pressure is actively maintained constant during a requested period by the air compressor <NUM>. The detected air pressure in the air bladder <NUM> is processed by the controller and the air pressure is adjusted by the air compressor <NUM>. In particular, during the surgical intervention when the surgeon operates in a wound of the patient's body, a constant position of the body is important in order not to injure the patient. Alternatively, an actively maintained constant air pressure is not necessary since. e.g., the system of the compressor <NUM> and the air bladder <NUM> is tight enough for passively maintaining the air pressure in a suitable manner.

The air pressure is varied in step S5 for changing the position of the patient's body according to a modified request. In the course of a surgery, e.g. a modified position of the patient's body can be necessary. Hence, the air pressure in the air bladder <NUM> is varied. Alternatively, the air pressure is maintained constant during the entire surgery and released when the surgical intervention is finished.

Claim 1:
A system (<NUM>) comprising an operating table (<NUM>), an air compressor (<NUM>), and an air bladder (<NUM>) configured to be inflated by the air compressor (<NUM>), wherein
the operating table (<NUM>) comprises:
a tabletop (<NUM>) comprising an upper deformable portion (<NUM>), and a lower rigid portion (<NUM>); and
a split pad (<NUM>) comprising a first layer and a second layer, configured to host the air bladder (<NUM>) between the layers,
the first layer and second layer joined to each other in a portion at an end of the split pad (<NUM>),
the first layer providing at least a portion of the upper deformable portion (<NUM>) and the second layer providing at least a portion of the lower rigid portion (<NUM>),
wherein, the tabletop (<NUM>) is configured such that the air bladder (<NUM>) is movable when being hosted between the first layer and second layer of the split pad (<NUM>),
the tabletop (<NUM>) comprises several sections respectively linked by a joint (<NUM>), and
the air bladder (<NUM>) is movable into a position adjacent to one of the joints (<NUM>).