Portable Medical Table Including Slidably Mounted Anesthesia Apparatus

Abstract

A wheeled table for patients having a top that slopes to a drain opening and provided with an electrical heating element for warming the patient. A self-contained anesthesia apparatus is slidably suspended below the table top and may be pulled out readily for adjustment of dials, or servicing or replacement of any of its component parts.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In veterinary hospitals the animal patients often must be transported from a kennel, an examination room or a surgical preparation room to an operating room or an X-ray room. In some cases the animal may be critically injured or in shock and the usual methods of transporting the animal under these conditions are not totally satisfactory. In addition, when the usual methods of transporting the animal are employed there is no provision for anesthetizing and otherwise preparing the animal beforehand for the operation or X-rays.

Similar problems exist in connection with transporting a human patient in a hospital.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a wheeled, readily portable medical table which carries a self-contained anesthetic apparatus, enabling the patient to be anesthetized on this table before going to an operating room or X-ray room. The table has a top that may be heated in case the patient is severly injured or in shock. Examinations, dental procedures, the taking of specimens for analysis, and minor surgery or medical treatment of the patient may be performed on this table. Preferably, the table carries removable drawers and trays for sterile equipment.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a novel portable medical table which enables various procedures to be performed on a patient while on this table.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel portable medical table which carries with it anesthesia apparatus for anesthetizing a patient while on the table.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel portable medical table having a top which may be heated to warm the patient, particularly when in shock or if severely injured.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel portable medical table which carries various equipment, tools and supplies, including anesthesia apparatus, which may be used in conjunction with surgery or various medical or dental procedures on the patient.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a presently-preferred embodiment thereof, which is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the present portable medical table, with certain parts below the table top removed or broken away for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a left end elevational view of this table;

FIG. 3 is a right end view of this table;

FIG. 4 is a back elevational view of this table; and

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken centrally along the table.

Before describing the disclosed embodiment of the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangement shown, since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated embodiment of the present invention has a substantially horizontal table top 10 supported by four tubular, vertical legs 11, each extending up from a rubber-tired wheel 12. Preferably, the lower end of each table leg has a swivel connection at 13 to a bifurcated yoke 14 which carries the axle 15 for the respective wheel.

The table top 10 is covered with a sheet 16 of stainless steel that slopes downward from left to right in FIG. 5 to a drain opening 17 located midway between the legs 11 at the right end of the table. A discharge tube 18 extends down from this drain opening. Sheet 16 has a rolled edge.

A stainless steel extension leaf 19 is hinged at 20 to the right end of the table top 10 in FIGS. 1 and 5. A collapsible pivoted linkage 21 acts between the underside of this leaf 19 and each table leg 11 at this end of the table to support the leaf 19 extending horizontally substantially co-planar with the table top 10, as an extension of the latter (FIG. 1), or to permit the leaf 19 to hang down from the table top, as shown in FIG. 5.

Longitudinal braces 22 (FIGS. 1, 4 and 5) extend horizontally at the front and back between the respective end legs 11 of the table, about midway along the height of the legs. Cross braces 23 (FIGS. 2 and 3) extend horizontally between the legs 11 at each end at the same vertical position as the longitudinal braces 22.

At the front of the table (FIG. 1) near its right end, three drawers 24, 25, 26 are slidably disposed one above the other between the table top 10 and the front longitudinal brace 22. These drawers are mounted individually on suspension slides inside a generally rectangular, open-front housing 28 which extends down from the table top. Each drawer 24, 25, or 26 is open at the top only, and each has a respective pull handle 24a, 25a or 26a on the front. These drawers are small enough to fit in a small autoclave where they may be sterilized along with the medical instruments which they contain.

At the back of the table, directly behind the topmost drawer 26, a three-sided tray 29 is slidably mounted for movement from a retracted position below the table top, as shown, to an extended position behind the table top. Each upstanding side of this tray has vent openings 30. This tray is open at its front and back ends, as well as at the top.

Also, at the back of the table, near its right end in FIGS. 1 and 2, is attached an upstanding rod R with a generally horizontal S-shaped upper end for the support of fluids for patient therapy, such as blood.

As best seen in FIG. 3, a thermostat 31 and an electrical junction box 32 containing a power socket are mounted on the outer end wall of the housing 28 for the sliding drawers 24, 25 and 26.

An electrical resistance heating element 33 of any suitable design is located in the table top 10 below the stainless steel cover 16. This heating element is energized by electrical power supplied to the socket in the junction box 32, under the control of the thermostat 31. The heating element 33 is so arranged as to warm the table top substantially uniformly across its complete extent when desirable for the comfort or health of the patient lying on it, such as when the patient is in shock. Preferably, the thermostat 31 regulates the heating element to maintain a temperature of about 75.degree. F on the table top.

In accordance with an important aspect of the present invention, an inhalation anesthesia apparatus is supported below the table top 10 so that it is ready for use wherever the table goes.

In the illustrated embodiment this apparatus includes two oxygen tanks 34, which are suspended below the table top by hangers 35. Each oxygen tank is provided with the usual hanger yoke 36 (FIG. 2) containing an outlet valve for the tank that may be opened by turning a handle 36a. The outlet of each valve is connected to a manifold 37. The gas pressure in this manifold is indicated by a pressure gage 38. An outlet pipe 39 extends down from the manifold 37 to a pressure-reducing regulator 40. From this regulator the oxygen flows through a manually adjustable needle valve 41 and through a flexible hose 43 in back up to a vaporizer 44. A flow meter 42 indicates the gas pressure at the outlet side of the needle valve 41.

In the vaporizer 44, oxygen bubbles up through a suitable liquid anesthetic to produce an anesthetic vapor which is applied to the patient on the table top 10 through an inhalation check valve (not shown). The patient's exhalations flow through an exhalation check valve (not shown) to an absorber 60. The breathing circuit includes suitable hoses (not shown) extending between the inhalation and exhalation check valves and the patient, and it may include a breathing bag 46, if desired.

The rigidly-interconnected assembly of the oxygen tanks 34 and the cradle straps 35 which support them, the oxygen outlet manifold 37, the pressure gage 38, the outlet pipe 39, the pressure regulator 40, the needle valve 41 and the flow meter 42 is suspended from the table top 10 for adjustment between the normal, fully retracted position shown in the drawings and an extended position beyond the table top, to the left in FIGS. 1 and 5. Each support strap 35 for the oxygen tanks has a T-shaped upper end, whose horizontal top leg is slidably received in corresponding fixed guideways 47 (FIG. 5) on the bottom of the table top. Also, a T-shaped carrier 48 extends up from the oxygen manifold 37 and has its horizontal top leg slidably received in these same guideways 47. This slidable support arrangement facilitates the replacement of used-up oxygen tanks 34 and the servicing or replacement of any part of the oxygen output flow line equipment, if necessary.

The vaporizer 44 is slidably suspended below the table top for adjustment between the fully retracted position shown and an extended position (to the left in FIGS. 1 and 5) where it may be moved out for adjustment of dials or servicing. The vaporizer is mounted on a carrier having rollers 49 at each side which roll along upwardly-facing horizontal guideways provided by inturned flanges on the lower ends of depending walls 50. These walls 50 are part of a rigid, rectangular, open-bottomed and open-ended support bracket B (FIG. 2) that is attached to the underside of the table top.

Also, a second vaporizer 45 is slidably suspended below the table top for adjustment between the fully retracted position shown and an extended position, to the right in FIG. 2, where it may be removed for servicing. A rigid support 51 fastened to the underside of the table top 10 provides ball bearing slides for engagement by a bracket 52 carrying the second vaporizer 45 and extending upward from the inner ends of this vaporizer.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent that the illustrated embodiment of this invention provides a self-contained, unitary, portable arrangement which enables a variety of procedures to be performed on a patient, particularly an animal, before going to an operating room or an X-ray room. Also, the present invention may be used for postoperative transportation of the patient. The drawers 24-26 and the tray 29 may hold a variety of sterile tools and supplies for use on the patient. In addition to anesthesis, various minor surgical or medical procedures, including the taking of specimens, may be performed on the patient while on this table. The top of the table may be heated to keep the patient warm, such as when in shock. If desired, suitable dental equipment (not shown) may be carried by the table so that necessary dental work may be performed on an animal patient while on the table.

Claims

I claim:

1. A portable medical table comprising:

a wheel-mounted table top for supporting a patient; an inhalation anesthesia apparatus supported below said table top to be wheeled around in unison therewith, said anesthesia apparatus including one or more gas tanks and a pressure gage therefor, a pressure regulator connected to regulate the gas coming from said one or more tanks, a manually-adjustable valve at the outlet side of said regulator, a flow meter and a vaporizer at the outlet side of said valve, and an absorber connected to receive breath exhalations from the patient on the table;

and means slidably supporting the above-named components of the anesthesia apparatus for horizontal adjustment selectively between retracted positions of said components in which they are vertically below the table top and extended positions of said components in which they are exposed beyond the table top for use, adjustment, servicing or replacement.

2. A portable medical table according to claim 1, wherein

said one or more tanks, pressure gage, pressure regulator, valve, and flow meter are slidably mounted below the table for movement as a unit;

said vaporizer is slidably mounted below the table top separate from said first-mentioned unit;

and said absorber is slidably mounted below the table top separate from said vaporizer and said first-mentioned unit.

3. A portable medical table according to claim 1, wherein the upper surface of said table top slopes to a drain opening in the table top.

4. A portable medical table according to claim 1, an further comprising an electrical heating element in said table top for warming the patient.

5. A portable table according to claim 4, wherein the upper surface of said table top slopes to a drain opening in the table top.

6. A portable medical table according to claim 1, wherein said one or more gas tanks, pressure gage, valve and flow meter are all supported from a common support that is slidably adjustable below the table top to carry said one or more gas tanks, pressure gage, valve and flow meter in unison between their respective retracted and extended positions.