Adjustable position limb support for surgical tables, including locking gas cylinder

Abstract

A limb holder comprising: a mounting bracket for attachment to a surgical table; a mounting element comprising a spheroidal surface for attachment to said mounting bracket; a clamping assembly for providing a clamping engagement about said spheroidal surface of said mounting element, said clamping assembly comprising an upper jaw and a lower jaw, wherein said upper jaw and said lower jaw are biased towards one another so as to provide said clamping engagement about said sphereoidal surface of said mounting element; a limb support element mounted to said clamping assembly via a support rod; a release mechanism mounted to said support rod and connected to said clamping assembly for selectively releasing said clamping engagement of said clamping assembly about said sphereoidal surface of said mounting element, whereby to allow said limb support element to be repositioned relative to said mounting element and hence repositioned relative to the surgical table; and a locking gas cylinder having a first end and a second end, said second end being biased away from said first end, wherein said first end of said locking gas cylinder is mounted to said mounting bracket and said second end of said locking gas cylinder is mounted to said support rod, whereby to bias said support rod away from said mounting bracket, and further wherein said second end is selectively lockable relative to said first end.