Modular, sterilizable surgical table for use in medical procedures

Abstract

A modular sterilizable surgical table that obviates the need for sterile drapes is particularly adapted for use during surgery in hospital operating rooms or in a veterinary health care facility. The table may include a movable base to which a plurality of posts is fixedly attached. A plurality of sterilizable sleeves may be detachably coupled to the plurality of posts. A first sterilizable shelf structured to hold sterilized medical instruments and/or supplies during a medical procedure is detachably coupled to at least one of the sleeves. A second sterilizable shelf structured to hold sterilized medical instruments and/or supplies is detachably coupled to at least another one of the sleeves. Each of the sleeves and shelves is each removable from the table sterilization. The shelves may be adjustable and include one or more lips to retain items placed on the shelves.

1 . A modular surgical table, comprising: 
 a movable base;    a plurality of lower support members attached to said movable base;    a plurality of sterilizable upper support members detachably coupled to said lower support members;    a first sterilizable platform structured to hold sterilized medical instruments and/or supplies during a medical procedure, said first platform being detachably coupled to at least one of said upper support members;    a second sterilizable platform structured to hold sterilized medical instruments and/or supplies during a medical procedure, said second platform being detachably coupled to at least another one of said upper support members; and    wherein said upper support members, said first sterilizable platform, and said second sterilizable platform are removable from the table for sterilization, thereby obviating the need for sterilized surgical drapes and facilitating re-use of the table in additional medical procedures.    
   
   
       2 . The modular surgical table of  claim 1 , wherein said lower support members comprise generally upright posts extending upwardly from said base.  
   
   
       3 . The modular surgical table of  claim 1 , wherein said upper support members comprise generally vertical sleeves having openings that receive at least a portion of one of said lower support members.  
   
   
       4 . The modular surgical table of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said first and second platforms overlap or are separated by a gap.  
   
   
       5 . The modular surgical table of  claim 4 , wherein the height and/or angle of said first and second platforms relative to a floor upon which the table is supported is adjustable.  
   
   
       6 . The modular surgical table of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first and second platforms comprise a shelf.  
   
   
       7 . The modular surgical table of  claim 1 , wherein said support members and said platforms are sized to fit within an opening of a hospital autoclave having a width of about three feet, a height of about six feet, and a depth of about five feet.  
   
   
       8 . The modular surgical table of  claim 1 , wherein the surgical table is used during surgical or non-surgical medical procedures performed in a hospital, doctor's office, veterinarian's office, or animal or health care facility.  
   
   
       9 . The modular surgical table of  claim 1 , wherein said first sterilizable platform occupies a fixed, first generally planar position and wherein said second sterilizable platform occupies a fixed, second generally planar position, said first and second planar positions being non-parallel.  
   
   
       10 . The modular surgical table of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said platforms is adjustable such that said first and second platforms may occupy generally planar positions that are substantially parallel or non-parallel to each other.  
   
   
       11 . The modular surgical table of  claim 1 , wherein said second platform occupies a fixed vertical position higher than a fixed vertical position of said first platform.  
   
   
       12 . The modular surgical table of  claim 11 , wherein said second platform is disposed behind said first platform.  
   
   
       13 . The modular surgical table of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said platforms is adjustable such that said first and second platforms may occupy substantially similar or substantially different vertical positions.  
   
   
       14 . The modular surgical table of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said platforms further comprises a lateral support member fixedly or detachably coupled to one of said upper support members.  
   
   
       15 . The modular surgical table of  claim 1  further comprising means for adjusting at least one of the height, angle, and/or horizontal position of said first and second platforms.  
   
   
       16 . The modular surgical table of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first and second platforms comprises a plurality of panels occupying positions in substantially the same or substantially different planes.  
   
   
       17 . The modular surgical table of  claim 16 , wherein said panels of each platform are fixed or adjustable relative to each other.  
   
   
       18 . The modular surgical table of  claim 16 , wherein one of said plurality of panels is coupleable to an adjacent panel of said plurality of panels.  
   
   
       19 . The modular surgical table of  claim 1 , wherein at least one platform of said first and second platforms includes a first structure preventing the medical instruments and/or supplies from sliding off either said first platform or said second platform.  
   
   
       20 . The modular surgical table of  claim 19 , wherein said structure comprises a rim formed along at least one side of said at least one platform.  
   
   
       21 . The modular surgical table of  claim 20 , wherein said rim extends upwardly from the plane of the platform.  
   
   
       22 . The modular surgical table of  claim 19 , comprising a second structure conducting fluid away from said at least one platform.  
   
   
       23 . The modular surgical table of  claim 22 , wherein said second structure comprises a gap in said first structure.  
   
   
       24 . The modular surgical table of  claim 23 , wherein said first structure comprises rims formed around a plurality of sides of said at least one platform and said gap is formed at a corner where two rims meet.  
   
   
       25 . The modular surgical table of  claim 1 , wherein the components of the modular surgical table comprise surgical-grade 304 stainless-steel.  
   
   
       26 . The modular surgical table of  claim 1 , wherein said table is used during a procedure performed on an animal or a human being.  
   
   
       27 . The modular surgical table of  claim 1 , further comprising means for coupling said table to another modular surgical table.  
   
   
       28 . A modular medical table, comprising: 
 first means for movably supporting the table on a floor;    second means for supporting sterilized medical instruments and/or supplies during a medical procedure;    third means for supporting said second means on said first means; and    wherein said second and third means are removable from said first means for sterilization, thereby obviating a need for sterilized surgical drapes and facilitating re-use of the table in additional medical procedures.    
   
   
       29 . The modular surgical table of  claim 28 , further comprising: 
 fourth means for adjusting a planar angle of said second means; and    fifth means for adjusting a height of said second means, said fifth means operatively connected to said third means.    
   
   
       30 . A method for sterilizing a drapeless surgical table having a separable support member and a platform used in a medical procedure, said method comprising: 
 sterilizing the platform and separable support member in a standard hospital autoclave;    removing the platform and separable support member from the standard hospital autoclave upon completion of a sterilization cycle;    assembling the sterilized platform and separable support member onto a sterilizable movable base; and    placing sterilized medical instruments and/or supplies directly onto the platform without use of any surgical drapes.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising: 
 performing a medical procedure using the sterilized medical instruments and/or supplies.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising: 
 removing the medical instruments and supplies upon completion of the medical procedure;    disassembling the platform and separable support member from each other and the sterilizable, movable base;    cleaning the platform and separable support member, if necessary;    inserting the platform and separable support member into a standard hospital autoclave; and    sterilizing the platform and separable support member in the autoclave.    
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising: 
 sterilizing the sterilizable movable base;    removing the platform and support member from the autoclave when the sterilization cycle is complete;    re-assembling the platform and separable support member onto the sterilized movable base; and    re-using the surgical table to store sterilized medical instruments and/or supplies.    
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the step of sterilizing the platform and separable support member in a standard hospital autoclave comprises inserting the platform and separable support member within an opening in the autoclave no bigger than about three feet wide by about six feet tall.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising sterilizing instruments used in the medical procedure and the platform and separable support member simultaneously.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the step of performing a medical procedure further includes using the table during surgery in an operating room of a hospital.  
   
   
       37 . A modular surgical table, comprising: 
 a movable base;    a plurality of support members attached to said movable base, each support member having a platform support;    a first sterilizable platform structured to hold sterilized medical instruments and/or supplies during a medical procedure, said first platform being detachably coupled to one of said platform supports;    a first releasable locking device to retain said first platform in a predetermined position relative to said one platform support;    a second sterilizable platform structured to hold sterilized medical instruments and/or supplies during a medical procedure, said second platform being detachably coupled to another one of said platform supports;    a second releasable locking device to retain said second platform in a predetermined position relative to said other platform support; and    wherein said first and second sterilizable platforms are removable from the table for sterilization, thereby obviating the need for sterilized surgical drapes and facilitating re-use of the table in additional medical procedures.    
   
   
       38 . The modular surgical table of  claim 37 , wherein said support members comprise generally upright posts extending upwardly from said movable base.  
   
   
       39 . The modular surgical table of  claim 37 , wherein said support members each comprise: 
 a lower support member attached to said movable base;    a sterilizable upper support member detachably coupled to said lower support member, and wherein said sterilizable upper support member is removable from the table for sterilization, thereby obviating the need for sterilized surgical drapes and facilitating re-use of the table in additional medical procedures.    
   
   
       40 . The modular surgical table of  claim 39 , wherein said upper support members comprise generally vertical sleeves having openings that receive at least a portion of one of said lower support members.  
   
   
       41 . The modular surgical table of  claim 37 , wherein at least a portion of said first and second platforms overlap or are separated by a gap.  
   
   
       42 . The modular surgical table of  claim 41 , wherein the height and/or angle of said first and second platforms relative to a floor upon which the table is supported is adjustable.  
   
   
       43 . The modular surgical table of  claim 37 , wherein at least one of said first and second platforms comprise a shelf.  
   
   
       44 . The modular surgical table of  claim 37 , wherein said first sterilizable platform occupies a fixed, first generally planar position and wherein said second sterilizable platform occupies a fixed, second generally planar position, said first and second planar positions being non-parallel.  
   
   
       45 . The modular surgical table of  claim 37 , wherein said second platform occupies a fixed vertical position higher than a fixed vertical position of said first platform.  
   
   
       46 . The modular surgical table of  claim 37 , wherein at least one of said platforms further comprises a lateral support member fixedly or detachably coupled to one of said upper support members.  
   
   
       47 . The modular surgical table of  claim 37 , wherein at least one platform of said first and second platforms includes a first structure preventing the medical instruments and/or supplies from sliding off either said first platform or said second platform.  
   
   
       48 . The modular surgical table of  claim 47 , wherein said structure comprises a rim extending upwardly along at least one side of said at least one platform.  
   
   
       49 . The modular surgical table of  claim 37 , wherein each platform includes at least one of a protrusion or a recess detachably coupled to a mating portion of one of said platform supports.  
   
   
       50 . The modular surgical table of  claim 49 , wherein said at least one protrusion or recess comprises a protrusion, and said mating portion of said platform supports comprises a recess.  
   
   
       51 . The modular surgical table of  claim 50 , wherein said protrusion comprises a stud and said recess comprises a keyhole shaped slot.  
   
   
       52 . The modular surgical table of  claim 50 , wherein the engagement of said protrusion and said recess retains said platform in a predetermined vertical position relative to said platform support.  
   
   
       53 . The modular surgical table of  claim 52 , wherein said recess comprises an opening having: 
 a first portion having a width greater than or equal to a diameter of said protrusion; and    a second portion having a width less than the diameter of said protrusion.    
   
   
       54 . The modular surgical table of  claim 37 , wherein each locking device comprises: 
 an engagement portion to engage an aperture in a bottom surface of one of said platforms to substantially fix said platform in a horizontal direction;    a biasing mechanism biasing said engagement portion in a direction necessary to engage said aperture; and    an actuator connected to said engagement portion to thereby disengage said engagement portion from said aperture, thereby permitting detachment of said platform from said platform support when a force applied to said actuator is greater than the biasing provided by said biasing mechanism.    
   
   
       55 . The modular surgical table of  claim 54 , wherein said aperture ifs formed in a plate secured to one of said sterilizable platforms.  
   
   
       56 . The modular surgical table of  claim 37 , wherein said movable base comprises a guard to prevent one of said first or second sterilizable platforms from contacting a non-sterilized surface.  
   
   
       57 . The modular surgical table of  claim 37 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of shelf supports coupled to said plurality of support members; and    a third platform coupled to said plurality of shelf supports,    wherein said third platform is disposed lower than said first or second sterilizable platforms.