The Ergonomics of Robot-Assisted and Traditional Laparoscopic Surgery

Surgeons performing laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery either manually or robotically can experience strain while operating, impacting their health, career longevity, and patient care. This thesis compared the comfort and workload of surgeons performing traditional and robotic keyhole surgery using surveys, Electromyography (EMG) to measure muscle activity, and motion capture using inertial sensors. This work suggests that traditional and robotic keyhole surgery have different risk factors contributing to injury among surgeons relating to posture, muscle strain, perceived workload, and burnout. These findings have implications related to surgeons, hospitals, and the design of equipment used in keyhole surgery.