Patent ID: 8635725

Claim:
An apparatus for positioning a patient during spinal surgery comprising: a main frame including two laterally spaced longitudinal rails, each longitudinal rail having a longitudinal length, and a positioner supported on the main frame, the positioner including a patient supporting frame supported on the main frame and rotatable about a first axis, the first axis being generally parallel to the longitudinal length of the main frame, the patient supporting frame having first and second sides, with the first side being adjacent the first axis and the second side being spaced apart from the first side, the patient supporting frame being pivotable about the first axis between a first position wherein the first and second sides of the patient supporting frame are generally equally spaced from the main frame and a second position wherein the second side is spaced farther from the main frame than the first side, a cushion supported on the patient supporting frame, the cushion supporting the patient in a prone position when the patient supporting frame is in the first position, a lateral support supported on the patient supporting frame, the lateral support engaging and supporting the patient when the patient supporting frame is rotated about the first axis to the second position, and a variable length actuator having a first end secured to the main frame at a first pivot that is fixed relative to the main frame and a second end secured to the patient supporting frame at a second pivot that is movable relative to the main frame such that the entire actuator is interposed between the main frame and the patient supporting frame, the variable length actuator operable to move the patient supporting frame between the first and second positions.