Surgical table attachment

Abstract

The present invention provides an armboard attachment for supporting a humerus of a patient placed on a surgical table. The armboard attachment comprises a humerus support board for horizontally and laterally positioning the humerus of a patient on an upper surface thereof. The humerus support board has a central cut-out at the outboard edge that is sized to receive the lower arm of a patient when the upper arm is supported on the board. The armboard attachment includes a pair of bars extending downward from the support board that are configured to be clamped to an accessory rail of a surgical table. The attachment also includes a reinforcing bar extending along each side of the support board to prevent bending or buckling of the armboard attachment when in use.

1 . In combination: 
 a surgical table to support a patient lying prone or supine thereon; and    an armboard attachment for positioning a humerus of a patient lying on a said surgical table, the armboard attachment including:    a humerus support board having an upper surface for supporting the upper arm of a patient thereon when the patient is lying prone or supine on said surgical table, said humerus support board including an inboard edge and an outboard edge and a dimension therebetween sized to support a portion of only the upper arm of a patient;    at least one reinforcing beam affixed to a bottom surface of said humerus support board extending substantially from said inboard edge to said outboard edge; and    attachment means for removably attaching said humerus support board to said surgical table, said attachment means affixed to said support board at said inboard edge thereof.    
   
   
       2 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein said support board includes opposite side edges and said at least one reinforcing beam includes a reinforcing beam extending along each of said side edges.  
   
   
       3 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein said humerus support board has a width dimension from said inboard edge to said outboard edge of approximately seven inches.  
   
   
       4 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein said outboard edge of said support board includes a cut-out extending towards said inboard edge and configured to accept the lower arm of the patient when the upper arm is supported on said upper surface.  
   
   
       5 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said surgical table includes an accessory rail and a number of clamps each configured to mount a surgical table attachment to said rail; and    said attachment means includes a pair of bars extending from a bottom surface of said humerus support board proximate said inboard edge, said pair of bars each configured to be slidably engaged by one of the clamps and connected to the accessory rail.    
   
   
       6 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein said humerus support board further includes opposite lateral edges defining a length therebetween that is approximately eighteen inches.  
   
   
       7 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein said humerus support board is formed of a radiolucent material.  
   
   
       8 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein said humerus support board, said at least one reinforcing beam and said attachment means are integrally formed.  
   
   
       9 . The combination of  claim 8 , wherein said humerus support board, said at least one reinforcing beam and said attachment means are integrally molded.  
   
   
       10 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein said humerus support board, said at least one reinforcing beam and said attachment means are formed of a radiolucent material.