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An operating table is a long-term investment, often used for many years. Its selection should reflect the procedures a hospital or clinic plans to perform, the patients it will accommodate and the way the operating theatre works.
Review the product’s regulatory documentation, specifications and intended use carefully. The original article places considerable confidence in registration and licensing documents, but paperwork alone does not establish quality or suitability for a particular operation. A properly documented table still needs appropriate configuration, maintenance and safe use.
What to consider
Compare the following characteristics when choosing between manufacturers and models:
- Mobility. A fixed system may suit a table that will remain in one operating theatre. A mobile model may be more appropriate where the workflow requires movement between locations. Confirm its permitted transport arrangements and how it is secured for use.
- Functions. Choose the available movements and positioning options for the procedures the clinic intends to perform. Manufacturers offer general-purpose tables and designs for particular surgical specialties. Additional sections may have their own adjustment mechanisms.
- Safety. Section adjustment can create pinch, collision and positioning hazards. Staff need to follow the instructions, check the surroundings and use compatible accessories; these risks are not eliminated simply by buying a modern table.
- Materials. The source highlights environmentally appropriate materials. Assess the materials’ suitability for their intended clinical use and ask the supplier for relevant safety and environmental information rather than relying on an undefined “environmentally friendly” claim.
- Cleaning and disinfection. Look for surfaces that can be effectively cleaned using the manufacturer’s specified process. An easily cleaned covering does not make a table sterile.
- Load capacity. The table must support the intended patient and configuration throughout the procedure. Check the manufacturer’s permitted load, including any restrictions associated with positions, extensions and accessories, rather than assuming that all models tolerate a high load.
The FDA’s advice on electrical operating tables recommends following each model’s instructions, training staff, checking for obstructions, observing maintenance and safety-check intervals, and staying within the manufacturer’s maximum load. Reports of unintended movement and positioning problems show why these precautions remain necessary.
Tables designed for specialised procedures can provide particular positioning functions. A general-purpose table may be supplied in a basic configuration, with additional options available on request. Check that the table, sections and accessories form an approved, compatible combination for the intended work.
Materials and adjustment systems
Frames may use stainless steel or steel with a protective or antimicrobial coating. Section upholstery may have a seamless surface with polyurethane foam padding, although materials and construction vary by manufacturer. A coating or seamless design does not replace cleaning and disinfection. CDC guidance on environmental cleaning calls for manufacturer instructions and material-compatible products for noncritical equipment. Use the table’s specified process and inspect coverings for damage that could make effective cleaning difficult.
Operating tables may have manual hydraulic, electrically powered or electro-hydraulic adjustment. Hydraulic systems can raise the platform using a column, but they are not confined to fixed tables. The Getinge Maquet Betaclassic, for example, is a mobile operating table with a manually operated hydraulic system. Mobility and adjustment mechanism therefore need to be assessed separately.
Electrically powered systems may be available in fixed or mobile designs. Some operate from mains power and have rechargeable batteries. The Maquet Meera family brochure describes battery and mains operation, charge monitoring and recharging arrangements for its mobile tables. Where fitted and adequately charged, a battery can support specified functions during a power interruption; its capacity, condition and permitted operation must be checked. It does not guarantee unlimited operation or remove the need for a power-failure plan.
Either a manual or a powered approach may suit an operating theatre when its functions, safety requirements and maintenance needs match the planned procedures. The mechanism alone is not enough to decide which table to buy.
Original source: Zaplata — Choosing a surgical table for the operating theatre.
