"Hydraulic" or electric examination table: what it really means
Medicastor team · Medical furniture manufacturer · Updated 03/08/2026
On the Moroccan market, a "hydraulic" examination table almost always means a gas-strut-assisted backrest on a fixed-height table — not an adjustable seat height. Only an electric table with a motorised column really adjusts the seat height, which helps vary the practitioner's posture or makes access easier for a patient with reduced mobility.
Does a "hydraulic" table have an adjustable seat height?
Generally, no — it is the most common confusion among buyers. The term "hydraulic" refers to the gas strut that assists the backrest lift (from lying to sitting), not to a mechanism that changes the height of the seat surface from the floor.
Our VALIO TE03, for example, has a fixed height of 760 mm: it is the backrest that lifts with gas-strut assistance, not the table that rises or lowers. This design is simpler, more robust and less expensive than a variable-height system.
When does an adjustable seat height become necessary?
As soon as several practitioners of different heights use the same table, or patients with reduced mobility need to sit down at a low height before the table rises, an adjustable seat height becomes a real criterion — not an unnecessary comfort.
Our DUCHESSES 1202 covers this use: electric height adjustable from 550 to 800 mm, operated by a wired hand control, in addition to the motorised backrest lift.
Should you pay more for electric if you don't need it?
No — if a single practitioner of standard height uses the table and patients have no difficulty getting on, the fixed-height VALIO TE03 does the job at a much lower cost than the electric DUCHESSES 1202. The extra cost of electric is justified by use, not on principle.
Frequently asked questions
Does the gas strut of a hydraulic table wear out over time?
Like any mechanical part under pressure, a gas strut gradually loses strength over several years of heavy use, but it is a standard part that can be replaced independently of the rest of the table.
Can a height motor be added to an existing table with a hydraulic backrest?
No, the motorised column and the frame of an electric table are designed together at manufacture — it is not an accessory that can be added afterwards to a fixed-height table.