Operating table stability and patient safety during an earthquake based on the results of a shaking table experiment

The damage that may be caused to the operating table and patients under general anaesthesia when a large earthquake occurs is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the movement and damage to operating tables and patients under general anaesthesia during an earthquake.

An operating table with a manikin resembling a patient on it was placed on a shaking table, and seismic waves were input into the shaking table. The effects of seismic waves were evaluated by altering surgical positions (supine and head-down positions), operating tables, flooring material, seismic waves, and output. We observed the movement of the operating table and measured the acceleration of the operating table and manikin head.

Under 90% output of long-period seismic waves, the operating table with the supine manikin was overturned. Under experimental conditions that did not cause rocking, shaking such as tilting of the operating table caused stronger acceleration in the manikin's head than in the operating table. There was no clear relationship between operating table rocking and maximum acceleration as a result of programmed seismic waves. In long-period earthquakes, rocking and overturning occurred >60 s after the onset of shaking, whereas in direct earthquakes, rocking occurred within 10 s.

An earthquake could cause strong acceleration of the patient's head under general anaesthesia, and operating tables may overturn or shake violently. Regarding patient safety, further measures to prevent overturning should be considered.