Industry commentary — August 2026
The sitting position (also called beach chair in shoulder surgery) gives the surgeon direct anterior or superior access to the shoulder, the neck, and the posterior fossa. The clinical benefits are real — less venous bleeding, easier airway access. The risks are also specific: cerebral hypoperfusion, venous air embolism, and patient fall.
The articulated sitting position with arm board and axillary support.
Step-by-step positioning
The sitting position is achieved by articulating the table, not by lifting the patient: patient supine with buttocks at the table break, back section raised to 90°, leg section lowered, foot section folded to horizontal. A modern OR table does this in seconds with a single button press.
The four essential supports
Head support (horseshoe headrest for ENT, three-pin clamp for neurosurgery, gel headrest for shoulder), arm boards, a three-piece shoulder brace set that prevents lateral sliding, and a single leg restraint across the thighs. Blood pressure should be monitored at the level of the external auditory meatus when the head is above the heart.
Horseshoe (U-shape) headrest supporting the head during a sitting-position procedure.
FAQ
Is the beach chair position really more dangerous than supine? In a healthy patient with proper blood-pressure management, the difference is small; in an elderly or vascular-compromised patient, it is large enough that many centers now do all shoulder arthroscopy in lateral decubitus instead.
For more information about Red Sun Medizone surgical positioning systems and other operating-room equipment, please visit www.redsunmedizone.com or contact our sales team.
About Red Sun Medizone: Red Sun Medizone (Tianjin Huahong Technology Co., Ltd.) is a medical device manufacturer and exporter specializing in operating tables, surgical position pads, surgical lights, patient monitors, and in-vitro diagnostics. With CE, ISO 13485, and FDA certifications, the company serves healthcare facilities in over 60 countries worldwide.