briefly described , the invention is a converter system carrying centralized command means of associated sub - system acting on the surgical table accommodating the patient to be operated , to reach each time the optimal position of the patient limbs over the surgeon . the system of fig1 comprises the surgical table ( st ) and the converter system ( co ) of the invention comprising at least : a first sub - system ( s 1 ) preferably involving an articulation mechanism ( sn ) in a stationary special position ; a second sub - system ( s 2 ) preferably in form of a binary track ( b 1 ) associated at one of its ends to said sub - system ( s 1 ) ( sn ) in such a way to consent to said ( s 2 ) at least two movement freedom degrees ; a third sub - system ( s 3 ) preferably in form of a carriage ( ca ) associated to said articulated binary track ( bi ); a forth sub - system ( s 4 ) preferably in form of an arm connected at one of its ends to sub - system ( s 3 ) over which it has at least one freedom degree of movement ; and a fifth sub - system ( s 5 ), preferably in form of a patient limb support ( ar ), having at least three freedom degrees . the converter system comprises a connection or interface ( m ) with a coupling means , f . i . a hole or slit ( 10 ), which corresponds to a pivot of the surgical table ( st ) ( not represented ) so the bring about the articulated clamping to said system of the invention . said articulation of sub - system ( s 1 ) comprises also a mechanism preferably in the form of a rotula , which is accommodated with its male expansions ( 12 and 13 ) within the opening base of the female expansion ( 12 ′ and 13 ′) of the base ( 14 ) of ( sn ), which has on its turn , two lateral expansions ( 16 and 17 ) for the application of the ends of arms ( bi 1 ) and ( bi 2 ) of track ( bi ). in the represented case , an hole ( 18 ) offers the housing to a pivot ( not shown ). the sub - system ( s 2 ) comprises the two bodies forming the binary track , ( bi 1 ) and ( bi 2 ) and additionally has a third tubular element ( bi 3 ) parallel to ( bi 1 ) and ( bi 2 ), preferably at the centre of these last elements . element ( bi 3 ) works substantially as a means to locate carriage ( ca ) in the positions established in the pre - operative phase schematically represented by the series of holes or ( even better ) slits ( fr 1 , fr 2 . . . fri . . . frn ). sub - system ( s 3 ) comprises substantially said carriage ( ca ) shown in the circle 4 of fig2 which in its first embodiment of fig4 , ( representation on enlarged scale of carriage ca of fig2 ) involves a first mechanism ( m ) to position and fix carriage ( ca ) on the track ( bi ) thanks to said holes or slits ( fr 1 , fr 2 , . . . fri . . . frn ); in fig5 said mechanism has essentially the form of a cam ( cam ) whose lower end ( ei ) penetrates between the teeth of toothed wheel ( rd ). in the embodiment of fig5 the number of the teeth are six , the inter - teeth empty spaces are seven and the passage from one space to the other determines a rotation ( over axis x - x of fig6 ) of 10 ° with a total amplitude of 50 °. the carriage mechanism translation along axis x - x ( which on its turn can rotate around the fixed axis pf of a total angle of 50 °) is schematically represented in fig4 and 4 a which are two views according to arrows ( f 1 and f 2 ) of same device . the fourth system ( s 4 ) is indicated in the circle 4 and comprises the rod ( ti ) articulated at its lower end on ( s 3 ). at the upper end of ( s 4 ), the rod ( ti ) has an articulation ( 40 ) to couple with the fifth subsystem ( s 5 ) which comprises in itself a housing of support and fixation of limb ar , f . i . in form of a console . said console comprises also a number of holes ( sn 1 - snn ) in which penetrates the rod ( 50 ) for the engagement of the element ( ar ) ( generally ) to the patient foot . as anticipated a sixth sub - system ( s 6 ) is preferably present , comprising :— a pneumatically modifiable body ( pmb ), f . i . in the form of a cushion , mattress , balloon and the like , located under the lying patient body or limb ;— feeding and regulating means of compressed fluid flow ( cff ). the modifiable body ( pmb ) is associated to the surgical table ( st ) whereas the fluid generating and feeding means ( cff ) are incorporated in the converter ( co ). a method to embody the system according to the invention comprises the steps of : connecting said global system to a surgery table through said first sub - system ( s 1 ); rough positioning of the carriage of the sub - system ( s 3 ) along the sub - system ( s 2 ); placing on said to be operated limb , a means for its engagement to sub - system ( s 5 ); fine positioning of sub - system ( s 3 ) to offer to the surgeon the optimal conditions for translation , rotation and traction of the member to be operated . for clarity scruple the invention has been described with reference to the simplest embodiment form shown in the accompanying drawings . however it is to be intended that the invention is not limited to said embodiments but is susceptible of all the chances , additions , alternatives and the like , which , being familiar to the mean expert of the art , are to be considered as falling within the scope and spirit of same invention .
a system to perform , under optimal conditions , surgical operations on limbs of human bodies lying on bases to extend the patient , comprising a surgery table and a converter , the converter including at least five sub - systems with different liberty degrees of movement .