US Patent 6941951 Dynamic frame for prone surgical positioning

A dynamic trunk positioning device comprises a frame adapted to be removably mounted to an operating table. A number of pads are provided for engaging the trunk of a patient. Each pad is independently adjustably mounted to the frame for movements along three independent directions in order to permit 3-D manipulation thereof by a surgeon either before the surgery while a patient is being positioned or during the surgery when additional corrective forces on the patient's thorax are needed, thereby providing not only for stable positioning of the patient on the operating table but also providing for active application of individual corrective forces at different locations on the patient's trunk.