GATHER ROUND An OR is not an OR without a table.

Surgical tables represent a hefty equipment investment, from about $50,000 for a general table to as much as $200,000 for a specialty table, but they'll reliably serve your facility for decades — as long as you choose one that best suits your needs.

Take the time to research the product field, because you and your surgical teams will be living with this purchase for a long time. We've seen many facilities where disused tables ended up parked in an equipment graveyard. Here are a few factors to keep in mind when you're thinking of buying an OR table.

• Functional use. What types of procedures will your case mix bring to the table? Does your patient population include bariatric and pediatric patients? For most surgical suites, an all-purpose table that can be used for a variety of surgeries is a practical choice. Several manufacturers offer all-purpose tables that you can configure or accessorize with additional attachments to better support orthopedic or other specialties. Radiolucent tabletops would be an efficient consideration for facilities that rely on intraoperative imaging.
• Weight capacity. Many of the latest surgical tables sport weight limits of at least 700 lbs., with bariatric specialty tables reaching 1,000 lbs. An important question to ask when you're evaluating a table is whether it has full functionality at the upper limit of its weight capacity. Simply raising and lowering an 800-lb. patient puts much different demands on a table than placing that patient in Trendelenburg position. While every manufacturer will tell you that their table can handle large patients, you should conduct a trial to verify its full functionality.
• Trialing and tracking input. As with any equipment purchase, hands-on evaluations are key to making an intelligent decision. After your surgeons, nurses, biomedical engineers and other users spend some test-driving time with different models from different vendors, make sure to collect their formal feedback on each through a pre-scripted form.
• Your budget and your vendor. Cost is always a big part of a purchasing decision, and a factor that can be influenced by your relationship with equipment vendors. When you're comparing your options, ask for a breakdown of pricing for the base model, for the surface options, and for the expected attachments and accessories necessary to provide optimal use. Would your facility benefit from bundling additional equipment from a particular vendor? If your budget is tight, does the vendor have demonstration models that might be purchased at reduced cost? Will they consider a trade-in of your existing table?
• Protecting your investment. OR tables are workhorses that can have a functional life of 15 to 20 years if you properly maintain them. Reliable service and a vendor that can reliably provide it are key. Will you be arranging a service contract for your table, or will it be serviced in-house? If it's the latter, will the vendor train your biomed staff so they can properly service the equipment?

Allen Medical Systems
Allen Advance Table
allenmedical.com
(978) 266-4200
Pricing: not disclosed
FYI: Designed for the supine, prone or combination positioning of complex spine procedures, the Allen Advance Table includes many features to ensure patient safety and user convenience. Its intuitive interface is simple to use and includes electronic wheel locks. As a safeguard, if the pin connecting the "H-bracket" to the table base is accidentally pulled, the patient support top will not fall to the floor. And reliable service is assured through immediate response and on-site repairs by certified Hill-Rom technicians.

Biodex Medical Systems
Surgical C-Arm Table 840
biodex.com/c-arm
(800) 224-6339
Pricing: $37,500
FYI: Biodex says its C-arm tables are ideal for image-guided procedures where stability, open access and precise, quiet, vibration-free positioning are essential. They also offer durability, performance and ergonomic comfort. Each of the company's 6 models features an extra large radiolucent area, a free-float X-Y tabletop, and motorized control of height, lateral roll and Trendelenburg motions. Portable handheld and foot-operated controllers ensure quick and safe tabletop positioning from any point around the table.

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, says the company. 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 and simply actuated by a foot-pedal control. The table is compatible with popular cranial stabilization systems.

DRE Medical
Lucerne ES OR Table
dremed.com
(800) 499-7093
Pricing: not disclosed
FYI: DRE Medical's Lucerne ES table expands your patient positioning options with electro-hydraulic operation and conveniently located controls. Table height, base lock, and back and foot-plate positioning are easily negotiated by remote control. The Lucerne also offers electronically controlled lateral tilt, and full and reverse Trendelenburg and horizontal slide for C-arm access, and can be customized with accessories, including body, shoulder and leg supports, arm boards, foot plates or an anesthesia screen.

Maquet
Alphamaxx
maquet.com
(888) 627-8383
Pricing: $40,000 to $50,000
FYI: Interchangeable head and leg sections and an easy-click accessory mounting system make Maquet's Alphamaxx surgical table versatile enough to position patients for any surgical discipline. It offers a longitudinal shift of 18.1 inches, lateral tilt of 20 degrees and Trendelenburg of plus or minus 30 degrees. It adjusts from 23.4 to 41.6 inches in height, letting clinicians work comfortably whether sitting or standing, and can support a weight capacity of 1,000 lbs. at full articulation.

Mizuho OSI
Trios Surgical Table System
mizuhosi.com
(800) 777-4674
Pricing: not disclosed
FYI: Well known for its customizable patient positioning ability in spine and imaging procedures, the Trios Surgical Table System has been improved in functionality, says manufacturer Mizuho OSI. Its 650-lb. weight capacity, fully radiolucent carbon-fiber frame, tabletop mounting interface and powered floor locks make it efficient and easy to use. A software-driven hand pendant controls all table functions, with an auxiliary panel providing a secondary control source. Plus, Tempur-Pedic cushioning technology has been incorporated into its patient surfaces.

Momentum Orthopedic Solutions
XT-15 C-Arm Imaging Table
momentumortho.com
(915) 629-9817
Pricing: $63,360
FYI: A modular design for multifunctional use, Momentum Orthopedic Solution's XT-15 features a stainless steel main frame for stable patient transport and support, an X-ray-permeable carbon-fiber tabletop for compatibility with imaging technology, and a viscous foam mattress for pressure reduction and patient comfort. The table's height adjustment is electrically controlled with an easy-to-use interface and the tabletop enables multidirectional slide and central locking.

Nuvo Surgical
V1000 Table
nuvosurgical.com
(800) 663-1152
Pricing: not disclosed
FYI: Nuvo's V1000 table boasts a lifting capacity of 1,000 lbs. and an articulating capacity of 800 lbs., with an eye on accommodating bariatric procedures. Its tabletop slide allows full body imaging, and its 180-degree rotating tabletop, fully powered sections and pressure-relieving mattress add convenience and comfort. Nuvo's table accessories include orthopedic traction bar assemblies, shoulder chairs, width extenders and patient positioning supports.

Oricare
T3600 Operating Table
oricaremed.com
(215) 538-2470
Pricing: $24,000
FYI: The T3600's stainless steel construction and radiolucent memory foam mattress are durable and easy to clean. Fully charged, its integrated battery can provide 15 days' worth of patient positioning. A single-key reset function automatically returns the table to horizontal position after a case for convenient turnovers, and a hydraulic pedestal lock/unlock delivers easy stability and portability.

Schaerer Medical
Arcus 501 Surgical Table
schaerermedicalusa.com
(800) 755-6381
Pricing: $63,000
FYI: A modular operating platform with an offset, cantilevered base for imaging access and an 800-lb. weight capacity in all positions, including reverse patient orientation, Schaerer Medical's Arcus 501 surgery table easily and cost-effectively serves spine, pain management, urology or any other specialties on the surgical schedule. The versatile, basic model of the Arcus line of tables features one electro-hydraulic-powered tabletop flex point and manually adjustable head and neck plates.

Skytron
1602 Essentia
skytron.us
(800) 759-8766
Pricing: not disclosed
FYI: Skytron's 1602 Essentia features 180-degree rotation independent of the base at the turn of a handle, which provides extensive surgical and imaging access at both the head and foot ends of the table, as well as convenient set-up when a C-arm is at the opposite end of the table from where you want it. One-touch positioning options, a 500 lb. articulation capacity, seamless accessory integration, and backup battery power also make the table an efficient piece of equipment.

Steris
OT 1000 Series Orthopedic Surgical Table
steris.com
(800) 548-4873
Pricing: not disclosed
FYI: Designed with advanced controls and unrestricted access to the operative site, the OT 1000 features Steris's proprietary Swan technology, which allows virtually effortless movement of the anatomy for anterior approach total hip arthroplasty, fracture reduction and other orthopedic procedures. Swan's buoyant system gives one user a full range of motion of the spars without interference from the table. An innovative drive function allows a single user to easily move the table from room to room.

Stryker Communications
Operon Surgical Tables
stryker.com
(972) 410-7100
Pricing: not disclosed
FYI: The mobility and modular design of Stryker's Operon line delivers on the demand for surgical table flexibility and efficiency. The Operon D860 model, for example, features a low height of 22.6 inches, a weight-lift capacity of 1,250 lbs. when centered and 1,000 lbs. at any orientation. The standard carbon-fiber top and 18.3-inch-wide integrated X-ray channel (which negates the need for an additional, specialized X-ray top) enables clear imaging.

Surgical Tables
V-MAX Vascular Imaging Table
surgicaltables.com
(888) 737-5044
Pricing: $26,000 to $30,000
FYI: The 4-way manual float of the V-MAX table allows 36 inches of longitudinal travel and 14 inches of lateral travel, and the table is also Trendelenburg-capable. Its 28-inch to 38-inch adjustable height assists in patient transfers as well as operational ergonomics. A 500-lb. capacity handles heavy patients and an 84-inch length accommodates tall ones. The diving-board-style tabletop makes imaging easy. Lightweight, the V-MAX is easy to move, and easily locked and unlocked casters keep it stable.

Trumpf Medical
TruSystem 7000
us.trumpf-med.com
(888) 474-9359
Pricing: not disclosed
FYI: With safety and efficiency as prerequisites, the TruSystem 7000 from Trumpf Medical offers ease of use, reliability, flexibility and expandability. The multispecialty table has a 1,000-lb. patient weight capacity and requires minimal set-up between cases. A wide range of accessories minimize the need for specialty tables. An extensively field-tested user interface, a 5th wheel that facilitates movement and transport, the use of lighter-weight components, and attachments that connect and lock simply and safely also bring convenience to its use.