Patient placement on the surgical table is very important, since proper placement can limit complications. The lower legs are generally placed into Allen’s stirrups and positioned such that there is no impact on the back of the calves, the thighs are level (with the floor) or slightly elevated to allow the surgeon to optimally manipulate the laparoscopic instruments that are placed through lower abdominal incisions, the buttocks are placed slightly off the end of the table to allow the surgeon to optimally manipulate the hysteroscopic instruments, and the arms are cushioned and wrapped at the patient’s side to avoid hyperextension at the shoulder during the surgery. I generally tape the fingers of the hand into a fist during the surgery so that when the lower portion of the table is raised at the end of the procedure there is no chance that the fingers will be caught and damaged.
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