Positioning a patient prone for pelvic surgery looks straightforward on paper: flip them over, pad the pressure points, done. In practice, a patient in prone position for three hours is accumulating pressure on their anterior superior iliac spines, their ribcage, their breasts, and their face—every one of those points is a potential nerve injury or pressure ulcer waiting to happen. The AM-TW-021 is a prone positioning pad designed specifically for gynecological procedures that require the prone approach: posterior vaginal wall repairs, sacrospinous ligament fixations, certain endometriosis resections where the surgeon needs access through a posterior trajectory. It’s not a generic surgical pad with a gynecology label slapped on it—the contouring and pressure relief channels are shaped for the female pelvis and torso.
The pad is constructed from three layers: a high-density polyurethane foam core that provides structural support without bottoming out under the patient’s weight, a middle gel layer that distributes pressure across the contact surface and absorbs shear forces when the table is tilted, and an outer PVC covering that’s impermeable to fluids and compatible with standard operating room disinfectants. The foam is viscoelastic—it conforms to the patient’s body shape over the first few minutes after positioning, then holds that shape for the duration of the procedure, which gives you stable positioning without constant readjustment.
The contouring is the critical design element. The pad has a central channel from the sternal notch to the pubic symphysis that allows the abdomen to hang freely—this reduces intra-abdominal pressure and improves ventilation, which matters because prone patients already have reduced pulmonary compliance compared to supine. The breast recesses are oval cutouts with foam edging that support the chest wall around the breast tissue rather than compressing it. The iliac crest supports are contoured to match the curvature of the pelvic brim, distributing weight across the bony prominences that typically bear the brunt of prone pressure. The face cradle is a separate horseshoe-shaped attachment that connects to the head end of the pad with hook-and-loop fasteners, fully adjustable for patient height.
The pad measures 65 cm in length, 45 cm in width, and 8 cm in thickness at the pressure-distributed zones, tapering to 5 cm at the edges for a smooth transition to the operating table surface. It attaches to any standard operating table with integrated straps that wrap around the table rails—no proprietary mounting system required. Weight is 3.2 kg, light enough that a circulating nurse can position it without assistance.
If your OB/GYN surgical team performs prone-position procedures and you’re still using rolled towels and foam wedges to position patients, the TW-021 is a significant upgrade in both patient safety and surgical access. I stock these in Shanghai—contact me through the form below for pricing and delivery timelines.
