If you're looking to outfit your OR with a table that supports minimally invasive spine, ask your surgeons what types of cases they'll be performing and what they need the table to do. Whether they bring anterior cervical discectomies, lumbar decompressions, kyphoplasties or lumbar interbody fusion to your ORs, they'll probably all mention 3 factors.

• Radiolucency. A traditional OR table is constructed in part from metal components, and metal components will obscure visualization during intraoperative fluoroscopic imaging. Tables designed specifically for imaging, including spine specialty tables, incorporate carbon fiber structures for radiolucency.
• C-arm compatibility. Because minimally invasive spine relies on intraoperative imaging, the table you're operating on should allow C-arms, X-ray machines, O-arms and other imaging equipment in and out of the field. A cantilevered table that extends out (with a sufficient working weight capacity) from a base at the end of the table is ideal, but make sure it will let equipment reach the patient's cervical spine.
• Positioning flexibility. Imaging isn't the only method of anatomical exposure and access during spine surgery. Patients are placed in multiple positions: prone, supine and lateral decubitus positions, bent and flexed, tilted to the side and even turned over, sometimes during the course of the case. How easily and effectively can the table you're considering do this? In addition to tables themselves, some manufacturers offer table accessories that can retrofit a traditional OR surface into one that can handle specialized spine tasks. While these may offer an economical solution, first find out whether these add-ons are cumbersome to attach and difficult to position, which could lengthen OR times.

One other aspect that's important for facilities to consider when buying a spine table is whether it is forward-compatible. The future of minimally invasive surgery is likely to involve the increased use of robotic techniques and intraoperative CT-scanning navigation systems, among other technologies. Outpatient surgery will be driving the demand for these innovations, and the outpatient OR is where they will happen. Will the tables you choose today be able to adapt to the needs of tomorrow? For the most useful table, anticipate its long-term use and the next big things that may arrive in your ORs. OSM



Allen Medical Systems
Allen Advance Table
allenmedical.com
(978) 266-4200
Pricing: $40,000 to $100,000, depending on configuration
FYI: Safety and convenience are designed into the Allen Advance Table. It can be manually rotated 360 degrees for patients who need to be repositioned from supine to prone while they're anesthetized. Its electronic wheel locks are centrally controlled from the remote pendant. And its surgical top connections are engineered so that the attachments won't fall to the floor if the incorrect pin is pulled. Radiolucent through its entire working length, the table supports up to 600 lbs. and is backed up by the response and on-site service of certified Hill-Rom technicians.

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CFI Medical
SPARIS Radiolucent Surgical Table
cfimedical.com
(810) 750-5300
Pricing: $80,000 (certain positioning accessories included)
FYI: The 58-inch radiolucent tabletop of CFI Medical's SPARIS cantilevered surgical table makes it ideal for spine, orthopedic, general surgery or pain management procedures that require unobstructed 360-degree imaging with C-arm and other intraoperative imaging systems. The SPARIS supports patients weighing up to 500 lbs., and its height, tilt and plus-or-minus 15-degree lateral and Trendelenburg motions are smoothly, simply actuated by a foot-pedal control. The table is compatible with popular cranial stabilization systems.

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Maquet: Getinge Group
Maquet Universal Frame
maquet.com/us
(888) 627-8383
Pricing: lists at $50,000
FYI: Compatible with Maquet's current range of operating tables, the Universal Frame supports prone, supine and lateral patient positioning. Its slender, radiolucent construction provides a large imaging area for C-arms, O-arms and 3D scanners. It is easily mounted to the leg plate interface and can be quickly configured for spine, orthopedic, trauma, general, vascular or neurosurgery. A trolley stores all of the basic accessories and is used to assist with the frame's mounting. It can accommodate patients of up to 250 kg (551 lbs.), or 180 kg (396 lbs.) if its optional ergonomic body supports are in use.

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Mizuho OSI
Trios Surgical Table System
mizuhosi.com
(800) 777-4674
Pricing: not disclosed
FYI: The carbon fiber frame of the Trios spinal platform supports up to 650 lbs. of patient weight, but is fully radiolucent and offers unrestricted C-arm and O-arm access. It accommodates customized patient positioning for a wide variety of spinal and imaging procedures, even those requiring 180-degree intraoperative rotations. Its spine and imaging tabletop mounting interface is newly improved, and a software-driven hand pendant (backed up by a secondary auxiliary control panel) powers all of the table's functions, including floor locks, height, lateral roll, Trendelenburg and reverse Trendelenburg, and return to level.

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OR Safety
ClearAccess Openview Table: ASC Solution
orsafety.com
(484) 368-3083
Pricing: lists at under $50,000
FYI: Configured for outpatient spine surgery and interventional pain management, OR Safety's table supports anterior, posterior and lateral positioning with a working load of 600 lbs., but a footprint of less than 12 square feet. Cantilevered motion enables head-to-toe C-arm access and target site radiolucency. Motorized lateral roll and Trendelenburg tilting offer assistance for intraoperative positioning. The company also offers customized configurations of the ClearAccess table to serve the needs of inpatient orthopedics (New Standard, listing at $65,000) and neurosurgery (Neuro Cervical, listing at $72,000).

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Schaerer Medical USA
Schaerer Carbon Spine Frame
schaerermedicalusa.com
(800) 755-6381
Pricing: not disclosed
FYI: Schaerer's Carbon Spine Frame converts the company's modular surgical tables into a 4-post, open-frame positioner that supports the chest and pelvis in prone spine procedures. Working in conjunction with the powered table, the frame provides intraoperative flex or reflex for complex positioning requirements, delivering the ability of a dedicated spine table with less of a demand for storage space. The cantilevered design allows C-arm and anesthesia access, while its radiolucent material provides a large imaging window.

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Stryker
Operon Surgical Tables
stryker.com
(972) 410-7100
Pricing: not disclosed
FYI: Stryker's Operon line of surgical tables is versatile enough to meet the needs of nearly every surgical discipline. Its D860 table, for example, features a low height of 22.6 inches, a weight capacity of 1,000 lbs. at all articulations, a carbon fiber top and an integrated X-ray channel. Its wide range of accessories and attachments include a spine frame with a 500 lbs. weight capacity for prone, lateral and supine positioning. Radiolucent spars allow unrestricted C-arm access, and a supine top option can convert the open spine frame into a solid image surface.