Objective To explore the effect of supine or prone position on central venous pressure (CVP) and intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) during lumbar spine surgery when using Jackson operating table or normal operating table. Methods This study included 36 patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery in Changhai Hospital of Second Military Medical University between Sep. and Dec. 2014, with 18 patients in the Jackson operating table (Jackson group) and 18 patients in the normal operating table (Normal group). We recorded and analyzed the CVP, IAP, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) of the patients in two groups in the supine position after anaesthesia induction, prone position after anaesthesia induction for 10 min, prone position before the end of surgery and supine position at the end of surgery. Oxygenation index (OI) was recorded after anaesthesia induction in the supine position and prone position for 10 min, 30 min and 60 min. Linear regression analysis was used to analyze the correlation between IAP and CVP when in different positions. Results Compared with supine position, the IAP values in two groups were significantly decreased in the prone position for 10 min (P<0.01), CVP value in Jackson group was significantly decreased (P<0.01) and that in Normal group was significantly increased (P<0.01); MAP and HR in Normal group were significantly decreased (P<0.05) and OI in Jackson group was significantly increased (P<0.01), while MAP and HR of the patients in Jackson group and OI in Normal group were not significantly different from the supine position. There was a positive correlation between IAP and CVP in the prone position in the Jackson group (r=0.709 3, P<0.01),but not in the Normal group (P>0.05). In the Jackson and Normal groups, the results of linear regression analysis showed positive correlations between CVP in the supine position and CVP in the prone position (r=0.760 7, 0.829 7; P<0.01), and between IAP in the supine position and IAP in the prone position (r=0.752 8, 0.920 0; P<0.01). Conclusion The effect of prone position on circulation is less in the Jackson group and it can improve oxygenation when the surgery is in the prone position. IAP may be used as a supplementary monitoring index of rehydration rate and fluid volume.