Background Art Major surgical operations require that a surgeon act for extended periods of time, often in the order of several hours or more. During this period, the surgeon will handle a range of different instruments, all of which must be maintained in a sterilized condition. Conventionally, instruments have been sterilized and laid out on a wheeled table situated beside the surgeon while the operation is underway. While this arrangement places the instruments near to where the surgeon is working, the positioning still places considerable inconvenience on the surgeon, particularly during a long and intricate operation. Very often, the surgeon must change instruments while he is in the middle of some intricate activity, which means he must either turn his gaze right away from the operation site and look at the tray table to his side, or he must be handed the new instrument by the support staff without looking up from the work. In the former instance there is some risk that he may make an inappropriate movement while his attention is directed away from the operation site, while in the latter instance there is a risk of injury being sustained by either himself or the support staff when a sharp instrument is passed while the surgeon is looking at the operating site.

Such injuries are all too common and can be of serious consequence with the increased risk of incurable diseases such as AIDS being spread.

Disclosure of the Invention Accordingly, the invention resides in a support structure adapted for supporting implements proximate a surgical workstation for use during a surgical operation, the support structure comprising a base, an implement support and a linkage, in use the base being intended to be positioned proximate the workstation and the linkage being adapted to support the implement support at a position adjustably disposed from the base to enable the implement support to be moved clear of the workstation or to be moved into a selected position closely proximate to the workstation by adjustable movement of the linkage to enable thea person working at the workstation to position the implement support at a preferred position above and/or to the side of the workstation.

According to a preferred feature of the invention, the workstation is a patient operating table and the implement support is adapted to support surgical implements during said operation in a manner directly and conveniently accessible to a person performing the operation.

According to a preferred feature of the invention, the implement support is movable to a position at which the gaze of the person performing the operation may be moved between patient operating table and the implements supported by the implement support without the need to move the person's head According to a preferred embodiment, the adjustable arm is telescopically adjustable.

According to a preferred embodiment, the adjustable arm is flexibly coupled to the structure.

According to a preferred embodiment, the adjustable arm is articulated.

According to a preferred embodiment, the adjustable arm is supported by a support column.

According to a preferred embodiment, the support column in mounted to a trolley.

According to a preferred embodiment, the support column is supported by a base.

According to a preferred embodiment, the support column is mounted from the ceiling.

According to a preferred embodiment, position of the support column is adjustable.

According to a preferred embodiment, the linkage is adjustably secured to the support column.

According to a preferred embodiment, the linkage comprises a plastic member of high hysteresis.

According to a preferred embodiment, the implement support is adapted to receive a tray adapted to receiving the implements.

According to a preferred embodiment, the implement support is adapted to support a receptacle for surgical waste Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a diagrammatic layout showing an arrangement of an operating theatre having a first and a second adaptation of the implement support according to the first embodiment; Figure 2 is an isometric view of an implement support according to the first embodiment;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic layout showing an arrangement of an operating theatre having an implement support according to a second embodiment; Figure 4 is a diagrammatic layout showing an arrangement of an operating theatre having an implement support according to a third embodiment.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments Each of the embodiments described below are directed to an support structure adapted to provide an implement support for surgical instruments where the support is adjustable in its position during an operation so that the implements held by the support are in a position which is in close proximity to the operation site and which is easily accessible by the surgeon.

The first embodiment is described with reference to the Figures 1 and 2. As shown in the figures, a support structure 11 comprises an implement support 12 for supporting the surgical instruments supported by a linkage comprising an adjustable arm 14 which is supported from a base comprising a support column 16. The support column 16 comprises a rigid tube of stainless steel having sufficient diameter and strength to support the arm, structure and instruments without any apparent deflection. In a first adaptation of the embodiment, the support column is mounted to a wheeled trolley 18 similar in type to those conventionally employed in operating theatres. The column is mounted in a secure manner and such that the implement support is stably supported by the trolley 18. However, the manner of support will depend upon the construction of the trolley and will not be discussed further here.

In a second adaptation of the embodiment, the support column 16 is upheld by a broad, circular foot member 31.

As mentioned previously the adjustable arm 14 is supported by the support column 16 and engages the support column 16 by means of a clamping member 21 comprising a pair of opposed substantially semi-circular fingers drawn

together by a locking bolt to compressively grip the support column. The clamping member 21 enables the adjustable arm 14 to be quickly and easily adjusted to a selected height and oriented in the desired direction.

The adjustable arm 14 comprises an inner member 23 extending from the clamping member and an outer member 24 adapted to telescopingly engage the inner member and a locking ring 25 at the end of the inner member opposed to the clamping member to lockingly engage the outer member 24 relative to the inner member 23. By this means, the length of the arm 14 may be adjusted and the orientation of the structure 12 may be rotated relative to the support column 16. In an adaptation of the arrangement, the arm comprises a single tubular member supported by a mounting block with an aperture adapted to lockingly receive the arm. The mounting block is also provided with a second aperture adapted to be mounted on and lockingly engage the support column.

In the embodiment, the implement support 12 comprises a wire support frame 27 adapted to detachably receive a flanged stainless-steel tray or dish 28 which in turn is adapted to receive a disposable instrument layout tray 29. The tray or dish 28 is easily sterilized by conventional methods while the layout tray 29 is provided as a pre-packed, sterilized unit which may be readily replaced, even during an operation. In adaptations of the embodiment, the implement support 12 may support a more conventional tray or may be a tray. However, in this case, sterilization would be more difficult.

A second embodiment of the invention is depicted in Figure 3. The second embodiment has a number of features in common with the first embodiment so in the drawings like features are identified with like numerals.

The second embodiment differs from the first chiefly by being suspended from the ceiling of roof of the operating theatre, rather than being mounted from the floor. In its simplest form, as shown in Figure 3, the support structure 41 comprises a support column 16, supporting an adjustable arm 14 which supports the structure 12, as is the case for first embodiment. The support column 16

may be simply be rigidly secured to the ceiling in a predetermined position, the surgeon being able to position the structure within the freedom offered by the adjustable arm 14. In an adaptation of the embodiment, the support column 16 is secured to the ceiling by a ball-joint which allows the column to be swivelled with a large degree of freedom when moved by an operator but which holds the linkage in a fixed position, once set. In a further adaptation, the support column is made telescopically adjustable. In a further adaptation, the adjustable arm 14 is also mounted to the support column 16 by a lockable pivot to enable the orientation of the adjustable arm 14 to be varied. In a further adaptation, the support column is replaced by an articulated structure, such as a"scissor" arrangement adapted to enable the structure of the implement support to be supported and positioned.

In a third embodiment the support column 16 and adjustable arm 14 are replaced by a deformable limb 51 of plastics material. Certain plastics material now exist which are deformable with sufficient hysteresis to maintain a significant loading is the preset position. Such materials, either by themselves or with an embedded steel spring moulded within may be formed into a suitable column and arm arrangement which will support the implement support 12 after being deflected into the desired position. Such an arrangement may be supported from the floor as in the case of the first embodiment or from the ceiling as in the second embodiment. This arrangement has the advantage of eliminating a number of mechanical linkages and is therefore more readily sterilized.

In a fourth embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, the adjustable arm 14 is replaced by an articulated arm 61 pivotably supported from the upper end of the support column 16. The articulated arm 61 comprises a lower sub-arm 62 and an upper sub-arm 63, each sub-arm comprising a pair of arm-rods 64. Each arm rod of each pair is disposed parallel to the other rod of the pair. The lower and upper sub-arms are pivotally connected at their junction by a suitable hinge 65 and both at that hinge 65 and at the mounting to the support column 16 there is provided suitable resilient, elastic means adapted to control the positioning of the arm. As a result of the arrangement, the implement support 12 supported by articulated

arm 61 is able to be positioned over wide range with considerable ease and accuracy.

In this embodiment, the support column 16 is mounted to a foot member 66 comprising a plurality of legs 67 extending outwardly from a central support socket 68. Each of the legs 67 is supported by a suitable wheeled castors 69 to enable the implement support to be readily movable around the operating theatre.

In a further adaptation of any of the embodiments, the implement support 12 is mounted to the adjustable arm by a locking ball-joint to enable the implement support 12 to be swivelled relative to the adjustable arm 14, to provide the surgeon with even greater choice of orientation of the structure relative to the work place.

In further adaptations, the linkage is directly secured to a fixed structure such as a wall, or the ceiling.

As a result of the use of a device according to any of the embodiments, an implement support is provided which provides important advantages to the user.

Each of them is able to be moved very clear of the workstation area when not required. This is very important in that it allows the implement support to be properly sterilized before use. It also means that the apparatus does not interfere with the sterilization of the workstation area, itself. Further, by being able to be taken well clear of the workstation area, the implement support does not interfere with the entry of the patient to the workstation area or the setting up of the workstation, prior to the operation. When needed, the implement support is positioned precisely by the operator (the surgeon) or assistant. This positioning is permitted virtually without restriction, other than the workstation, itself. As a result, the operator can easily position the implement support to minimize movement to access an implement, or replace an implement. For instance, the view of a surgeon might be moved between a patient and the implement support and back without movement of the surgeon's head. In

delicate operations, this removes the need for an assistant to handle the implements while reducing to a minimum the movements required by the surgeon to access the implements. Thus the risk of accidental injuries to others is minimized.

In adaptation of the embodiments, the implement tray or layout tray comprises a receptacle for receiving waste such as swabs. Again, because of the advantages of the implement tray of the embodiments, such waste may be placed directly into the receptacle. Typically in the past, an attendant has held a receptacle so it is positioned conveniently for the person performing the swab.

The embodiments further reduces the risk to the patient or theatre attendants by removing the need for the waste or the receptacle to be handled by a second person before disposal into the receptacle. Particularly where extensive swabbing is required, the implement tray may be moved into very close proximity to the swabbed site so that the distance between the site and the receptacle is minimized. The receptacle may have a mouth enclosing device to securely retain the disposed waste. When filled, the receptacle may be removed and replaced by an attendant.

It is further to be appreciated that the present invention incorporates within its scope embodiments which incorporate some features described from several of the embodiments described above. Further, it should be appreciated that the scope of the present invention need not be limited to the particular scope of any of the embodiments described above.

Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise"or variations such as"comprises"or"comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.