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S U R G E O N
E R G O N O M I C S
REASSURING RESEARCH
Improved Laparoscopic Ergonomics?
PART OF THE JOB Laparoscopic surgeons suffer from repetitive strain injuries.
It's no secret laparoscopic surgery is an ergonomic nightmare for docs, but a researcher at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington is hoping to reduce the repetitive strain injuries often suffered by surgeons specializing in minimally invasive techniques.
Donald Peterson, head of the Health Center's biodynamics laboratory in the division of occupational and environmental medicine, is using opto-electronic motion capture technology to measure the physical strain various laparoscopic techniques put on surgeons.
Mr. Peterson attached electrodes to the forearm muscles that control hand movements to measure muscle activity and fatigue. He also placed sensors on laparoscopic instruments to measure how much force surgeons use to push and pull the devices during surgery.
He discovered that surgeons are constantly applying about 3 pounds of pressure and 3 to 4 pounds of torque to instruments as they're using them, which can lead to numbness and tingling in the hands and arms. Mr. Paterson hopes his research leads to improved laparoscopic instrument designs and, ultimately, a more ergonomically friendly OR.
— Daniel Cook
