ciency, because patients' extremities, once positioned, don't have to
be moved to produce clear images. The Wilson frame, says Dr. Liu,
not only provides 360 degrees of radiolucency, it "allows the abdomen
to be free and not compressed, which decreases intra-abdominal pres-
sure and thereby venous engorgement and blood loss." Specially
designed tables that allow ideal spine alignment for fusions, along
with easy access for imaging, navigation and robotics access are also
game-changers, says Dr. Liu.
Added versatility
Some newer attachments have advanced to where they enable budg-
et-conscious, multi-specialty centers to transform basic surgical sur-
faces into OR centerpieces that match the performance of expensive
specialty tables. That cost-effective versatility can accommodate vari-
ous positioning requirements multi-specialty facilities must have to
host a variety of procedures that are often performed in the same
operating room on different days, points out Dr. Masonis. "Surgery
centers may struggle to justify the kind of capital expense needed for
more complex tables and usually have some space restrictions," he
says.
Versatile attachments encase the feet in individual "ski boots," and
allow the patient's legs to be adjusted and rigidly fixed in exactly the
position the surgeon needs. "Whether you're doing orthopedic sur-
gery, Ob-gyn, or urologic procedures — any scenario where you're
trying to manipulate extremities and you may need to move them
independently of one another and lock them there — these kinds of
accessories can certainly be an advantage," says Dr. Masonis.
Not only are the attachments considerably less expensive than full-
sized tables, they're also very portable. "They can be moved from
operating room to operating room, and from surgery center to surgery
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