Evaluation of a Passive Arm-Support Exoskeleton for Surgical Team Members: Results from Live Surgeries

Details

• Personal Author:
  Asadi H ; Athanasiadis DI ; Cha JS ; Nussbaum MA ; Stefanidis D ; Yu D
• Description:
  Background: Musculoskeletal symptoms and injuries adversely impact the health of surgical team members and their performance in the operating room (OR). Though ergonomic risks in surgery are well-recognized, mitigating these risks is especially difficult. In this study, we aimed to assess the impacts of an exoskeleton when used by OR team members during live surgeries. Methods: A commercial passive arm-support exoskeleton was used. One surgical nurse, one attending surgeon, and five surgical trainees participated. Twenty-seven surgeries were completed, 12 with and 15 without the exoskeleton. Upper-body postures and muscle activation levels were measured during the surgeries using inertial measurement units and electromyography sensors, respectively. Postures, muscle activation levels, and self-report metrics were compared between the baseline and exoskeleton conditions using non-parametric tests. Results: Using the exoskeleton significantly decreased the percentage of time in demanding postures (>45 degrees shoulder elevation) for the right shoulder by 7% and decreased peak muscle activation of the left trapezius, right deltoid, and right lumbar erector spinae muscles, by 7%, 8%, and 12%, respectively. No differences were found in perceived effort, and overall scores on usability ranged from "OK" to "excellent." Conclusions: Arm-support exoskeletons have the potential to assist OR team members in reducing musculoskeletal pain and fatigue indicators. To further increase usability in the OR, however, better methods are needed to identify the surgical tasks for which an exoskeleton is effective. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Coal Coal Mining Mining Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders Electromyography Equipment Design Ergonomics Exoskeletons MSD Musculoskeletal Disorders Operating Room Operating Rooms Sensors Surgery Upper Extremities Usability

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• ISSN:
  0022-4375
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Indiana ; Michigan ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 5 ; South Carolina ; Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  322-330
• Volume:
  89
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20069248
• Citation:
  J Safety Res 2024 Jun; 89:322-330
• Contact Point Address:
  Jackie S. Cha, 211 Fernow St, 268 Freeman Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, SC
• Email:
  jackie@clemson.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2024
• Performing Organization:
  University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Safety Research
• End Date:
  20280630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:6ce6f56a37066fa25e9b6867ff5575ff4af4adb2c107b9ee862df2c9bb569d67df41ff135c5f655fee202ebef2f3284420d4338f533d1cd28b37d74ce91b1214
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/207757/cdc_207757_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.25 MB ]