A surgical table comprising: a base for standing on a floor； a column mounted on and extending from the base； a tabletop providing a patient support surface； a movable framework to which at least a part of the tabletop is directly or indirectly fitted, and a rack and pinion mechanism fitted to the movable framework between the tabletop and the column for enabling the movable framework, and the part of the tabletop fitted thereto, to be rotated about a pivot axis, wherein the pivot axis is a trend axis extending in a transverse direction across the tabletop or a tilt axis extending in a longitudinal direction along the tabletop, wherein the rack and pinion mechanism comprises: a pair of opposed first and second curved racks mounted on opposite sides of the pivot axis, the racks facing inwardly towards the pivot axis and being oriented upwardly, a pair of first and second rotatable pinions, each first and second pinion arranged to engage a respective first and second curved rack, and a drive system, including a drive motor, connected to the pinions for rotating the first and second pinions in a common rotational direction, the drive system being configured so that the first and second pinions move in opposite respective upward or downward directions along the respective first and second curved racks to rotate the movable framework about the pivot axis.
