Operative stretchers. Use in ophthalmologic procedures.

Operative stretchers have been used at Holy Spirit Hospital for more than 500 ophthalmologic procedures. Most of those procedures have been extracapsular cataract extraction with intraocular lens implants performed as ambulatory surgery procedures. We also have used these stretchers for the inpatient procedures such as scleral buckling. Because the stretchers eliminate the need to clean and remake a stationary OR bed between each procedure, we have decreased the downtime between cases. We have recently started using the operative stretchers in selected plastic and otolaryngology procedures. We have six operative stretchers in use and, at times, need more.