Syncronized patient elevation and positioning apparatus positioning support systems

1. A patient elevation and positioning apparatus for positioning a patient in a prone position on a patient positioning support system for a medical procedure, the patient positioning support system including a base with spaced head-end and foot-end support subassemblies, a patient support structure removably attached to and supported by the support subassemblies, and a rotation mechanism for rotating the patient support structure about a longitudinally extending roll axis a distance of up to at least 180°, the patient elevation and positioning apparatus comprising:

a) a transfer table structure having head and foot ends, the transfer table structure being sized and shaped for receiving and supporting a patient thereon;

b) a head-end lift subassembly removably attachable to both the head-end support subassembly and the transfer table structure head end, the head-end lift subassembly being adapted for moving the transfer table structure head end in a direction selected from toward and away from the roll axis;

c) a foot-end lift subassembly removably attachable to both the foot-end support subassembly and the transfer table structure foot end, the foot-end lift subassembly being adapted for moving the transfer table structure foot end in a direction selected from toward and away from the roll axis; and

d) an actuator for synchronously actuating the head-end and foot-end lift subassemblies, so as to maintain the transfer table structure in a plane substantially parallel to the roll axis while moving the transfer table structure in a direction selected from toward and away from the roll axis.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , the transfer table structure comprising:

a) a pair of spaced support beams, each beam having a foot end and a head end;

b) a head-end cross-beam joining the head ends of the spaced support beams, the head-end cross-beam including a bracket for releasable hinged attachment to the head-end lift subassembly;

c) a foot-end cross-beam joining the foot ends of the spaced support beams, the foot-end cross-beam including a bracket for releasable attachment to the foot-end lift subassembly; and

d) a tabletop member attached to the support beams.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a) a plurality of quick release pins sized and shaped for removably attaching at least one of the head-end lift subassembly and the foot-end lift subassembly to at least one of a respective support subassembly and a respective transfer table structure end.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , each of the lift subassemblies comprising:

a) a pair of spaced support members;

b) a lead screw spaced from and substantially parallel with the support members;

c) a first brace member joining a first end of each of the support members and the lead screw, the first brace member including an attachment structure for removable attachment to a respective support subassembly;

d) a second brace member joining a second end of each of the support members and the jack screw; and

e) a carrier member slidably engaging the support members, the carrier member having

i) a gear subassembly operably engaging the lead screw so as to move the carrier member in a direction selected from toward and away from the first brace member, and

ii) a bracket for releasable hingeable attachment to the transfer table structure.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein:

a) the lead screw is an ACME screw.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 , the gear subassembly comprising:

a) a lead nut rotatably engaging the lead screw; and

b) a motor connector for operable engagement of an external motor.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4 , the carrier member including:

a) a pair of sliding brackets, each sliding bracket being sized and shaped to slidably engage a support member.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein;

b) a bushing is located between each sliding bracket and a respective support member.

9. A method of transferring a patient to a medical patient positioning support system in a prone position, the patient positioning support system including a base with spaced head-end and foot-end elevator subassemblies, a patient support structure removably attached to and supported by the elevator subassemblies, and a rotation mechanism for rotating the patient support structure about a longitudinally extending roll axis a distance of up to at least 180°, the method comprising:

a) providing a patient elevation and positioning apparatus having head-end and foot-end lift subassemblies and a transfer table structure;

b) releasably attaching the patient elevation and positioning apparatus to the patient positioning support system;

e) orienting the patient elevation and positioning apparatus for patient transfer;

f) placing a patient on the transfer table structure in a supine position;

g) actuating the head-end and foot-end lift subassemblies so as to move the patient toward the patient support structure, such that the patient is snugly sandwiched between the transfer table structure and the patient support structure;

h) rotating the patient positioning support system to the first position, such that the patient support structured by the patient support structure in a prone position; and

i) detaching the patient elevation and positioning apparatus from the patient positioning support system.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein releasably attaching the patient elevation and positioning apparatus to the patient positioning support system comprises:

a) attaching the head-end lift subassembly to the head-end support subassembly;

b) attaching the foot-end lift subassembly to both the foot-end support subassembly; and

c) attaching the transfer table structure to the head end and foot-end lift subassemblies.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein orienting the patient elevation and positioning apparatus for patient transfer comprises:

a) rotating the patient positioning support system from a first position about 180° about the roll axis such that the transfer table structure is located below the patient support structure.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein actuating the head-end and foot-end lift subassemblies comprises:

a) actuating a gear subassembly so as to rotate a lead nut relative to a lead screw.

13. A surgical table comprising:

a) a base having a first patient support structure extending between opposed end supports thereof;

b) the end supports having attachment structure for a second patient support structure including an actively driven lift subassembly; and

c) wherein a patient can be positioned between the first and second patient support structure and the distance between the first and second patient support structures is adjustable by the actively driven lift subassembly.