ORX Proceedings 2013_Layout 1 12/6/13 11:23 AM Page 60
have surgeons' hands at or below elbow height when doing laparoscopic procedures.
Another important consideration is monitor height. "That's probably the
easiest thing to change in the OR," says Dr. Berguer. "The optimal monitor
height is 15 to 25 degrees below eye level. You should also make sure your
booms come down below eye level."
Will the proliferation of robotics in the OR help? Maybe, says Dr. Berguer.
"There are advantages in that physicians are seated, they can use tools, and
have 3D vision, but there's also the disadvantage of having no haptic feedback."
Asked whether they'd ever undergone formal ergonomic evaluations of
their workplaces, 73% of the audience said they hadn't. But 94% acknowledged that ergonomic problems at least occasionally keep them or their colleagues from working to their full potential.
In the absence of a full-scale evaluation, Dr. Berguer recommends taking
the time to observe colleagues and provide feedback. "We don't sit and watch
each other work," he says. "But when we're filmed, that's when we become
aware of posture issues, of positioning issues, of time-wasters."
— J.B.
6 0
S U P P L E M E N T T O O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | D E C E M B E R 2013
