The psychological stress that surgeons face is well-documented. They spend hours with weird positions inside the operation theater. These posture causes exposed to a number of occupational hazards in their professional work. For example, almost surgeons report shoulder, neck, and lower back pain.
By considering and in trying to sort this serious issue, scientists from the University of Buffalo have developed a tool that identifies poor posture and spot pain-inducing positions. Scientists named this tool as ErgoPART. In addition, this EgroPART tool ultimately correct those awkward positions in the operating room.
As scientists reported, the ErgoPART tool could effectively spot pain-inducing positions. This is a first step toward making surgery safer for surgeons.
An associate professor Victor Paquet said, “Everyone knows that surgeons operate in a high-stress environment. Our research looks at something less obvious: the long-term risks that surgeons face by putting themselves in uncomfortable positions in the Operation Room.”
The ErgoPART is the abridgment of Ergonomics Postural Assessment in Real-Time. To construct this tool, scientists came together with vaginal surgeons at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. Although, Vaginal surgeons are more likely to suffer chronic pain compared to other surgeons.
Scientists primarily identified the need to systematically observe and characterize body postures during surgery. The then developed the tool via an iterative design process.
Scientists think beyond attaching sensors in the tool as it could interfere the surgeon’s work. So, they decided to develop it by considering two ergonomics researchers, a female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery fellow, and a pre-medical undergraduate.
There is a software program that records information about the surgery by providing users visual feedback. The observers entered the surgeon’s positioning, task information, operating room features, and more.
Co-author of the study Xinhui Zhu said, “With this ErgoPART tool, surgeons, as well as occupational and health safety workers, will have immediate access to a report on when and how long they stay in non-neutral positions during surgery. This information can be used to help individual surgeons, as well as to develop recommendations on how surgeries can be improved for the doctor and patient.”