Forget the beach chair and go supine: Analysis of the effectiveness of the use of a radiolucent table for shoulder surgery

Patient positioning for shoulder surgery is typically performed in one of 3 positions: beach chair, supine, and lateral decubitus. Many surgeons utilize the beach chair position for shoulder surgery including arthroscopy, arthroplasty, fracture care, etc. The lateral decubitus position has become popular for its perceived advantages in arthroscopy, particularly instability surgery. A less commonly used position that has significant value and advantages is supine positioning on a radiolucent table. This position can be used for a wide variety of shoulder girdle surgical procedures especially those in which accurate fluoroscopic imaging is critical. It is the preferred position for treating shoulder girdle injuries in which gravity is a deforming force in the beach chair position. It also simplifies the prep, draping, and anesthetic care of the patient. It may also have added value in decreasing infection risk, operative time, and intraoperative hypotension.