Modular, Sterilizable 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 surgical accessory table comprising
 a frame including a movable base, plural uprights extending upward from said base, and plural braces interconnecting said uprights near the upper ends,   a pair of carriages supported by said frame, each said carriage comprising a planar segment and a pair of flanges formed at opposite ends of the planar segment, the planar segment having plural keyhole apertures formed therein,   the carriages being mounted to move linearly along respective fixed, non-parallel non-collinear axes, one of which is horizontal and one of which is inclined at an acute angle to horizontal,   plural table tops, each removably connected to a respective one of said carriages by stud fasteners which engage or disengage which the table top is slid laterally in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the axis of movement of the respective carriage.   
   
   
       2 . The surgical accessory table of  claim 1 , wherein the acute angle is fixed and cannot be varied. 
   
   
       3 . The surgical accessory table of  claim 2 , wherein the acute angle is less than the angle of repose for surgical instruments. 
   
   
       4 . The surgical accessory table of  claim 2 , wherein the acute angle is in the range of 5° to 15°. 
   
   
       5 . The surgical accessory table of  claim 2 , wherein the acute angle is about 10°. 
   
   
       6 . The surgical accessory table of  claim 1 , wherein said axes are coplanar, so the upper table moves in a plane that would intersect the plane of the lower table, but the slides limit movement that prevents the tops from striking one another. 
   
   
       7 . The surgical accessory table of  claim 1 , wherein each of the carriages may be fixed in position along its axis of movement by a latch mechanism. 
   
   
       8 . The surgical accessory table of  claim 7 , wherein the latch mechanism comprises at least one element, affixed to the carriage, having plural holes therein and at least one movable pin, contained within the frame, capable of entering one of the holes. 
   
   
       9 . The surgical accessory table of  claim 8 , further comprising a spring for biasing the pin into engagement with one of said holes. 
   
   
       10 . The surgical accessory table of  claim 1 , further comprising a treadle connected to at least one of the pins in such a way that depressing the treadle retracts the pin connected thereto out of engagement with said holes. 
   
   
       11 . The surgical accessory table of  claim 1 , wherein the stud fasteners are headed studs on one of the table top and the carriage, and corresponding keyhole apertures are formed in one of the carriage and the table top. 
   
   
       12 . The surgical accessory table of  claim 11 , wherein each carriage has the keyhole apertures aligned all in the same direction, with their length perpendicular to the axis of movement of the respective carriage. 
   
   
       13 . The surgical accessory table of  claim 12 , wherein the keyhole apertures on one carriage are aligned in a direction opposite those of the keyhole apertures on the other carriage. 
   
   
       14 . The surgical accessory table of  claim 1 , further comprising a locking device comprising a retractable plunger which seats in a hole in the table top to prevent the stud fasteners from being disengaged accidentally from the keyhole slots.