Netcare Greenacres Hospital in Gqeberha has installed South Africa’s first Maquet Corin mobile operating table, bringing advanced patient-positioning technology to surgical teams managing busy theatre lists.

“Patients rightly think carefully about their surgeon and procedure. Our responsibility as a hospital is to support those surgeons with the right equipment, skilled theatre teams and a working environment that enables them to deliver the best possible care to each patient,” says Reon van Rensburg, general manager of Netcare Greenacres Hospital.

“That includes attention to details that patients may never see, from the advanced equipment available and the training of our surgical support teams to the careful preparation of the theatre for each procedure. Together, these help safeguard patients and give surgeons confidence that the team, equipment, and environment around them are ready, allowing them to focus on the surgery at hand.”

A key advantage of the new table is that it can accommodate procedures with or without traction, avoiding the need to switch to a separate traction table. Traction is used in certain orthopaedic procedures to apply controlled tension to a limb and help achieve the position needed for surgery.

“For a busy theatre team working through a full list, preparation time is crucial. Being able to adapt the same table means less time spent moving equipment and coordinating changes, allowing doctors, nurses and porters to concentrate on preparing for the next patient.

“For patients requiring traction, it also means they can remain on the same table during preparation and surgery, avoiding an additional transfer and the handling that goes with it,” says Van Rensburg.

The table’s removable lower sections and specialised accessories allow teams to configure it for different procedures. Detachable leg plates support a workflow in which the patient remains on the same table throughout preparation, positioning and surgery.

This flexibility helps to reduce equipment-related delays between cases and to make preparation more predictable, supporting more efficient use of available theatre time.

“Good planning remains essential. The table and the necessary accessories must be ready in the right theatre,” says Van Rensburg. “The advantage is that the team can prepare for different procedures without having to move an entire table in and out. It is a practical improvement that helps us manage the demands of a busy theatre list.”

Supplied by Medhold Medical, the table was installed and commissioned at the end of September. Theatre staff have since undergone training in its features and operation, supporting its introduction into daily use.

With appropriate accessories, the table also supports specialised positioning for spinal and neurosurgical procedures. Colour-coded LED lights help staff identify the OR Table orientation and automatically identify the upper body and leg accessories. Collision detection, overload detection, and tipping prevention provide additional safeguards during theatre use.

“Investing in equipment goes hand in hand with ensuring our people are confident in using it. The value lies in how it supports everyday care: helping nurses prepare, giving surgeons the positioning options they need and making it easier for the whole team to work effectively around the patient,” concludes Van Rensburg.