Physical and Mental Load During Laparoscopic Tasks. A Prospective Randomized Trial of the Ergonomics in a Black Box Model

The surgeons load during laparoscopic surgery is still unclear. Laparoscopic surgery is more demanding because of the challenge of operating through small scars in the abdominal wall without any tactile feedback depending only on the visual feedback on a monitor. Most studies have been conducted in laboratory set-ups: Black Box.

This study will establish a model of how to measure the biomechanical loads at muscular, joint and postural level, as well as measuring stress-hormone and cardiac rhythm. The study is a precursor of ergonomic studies performed inside the operating room. Advanced operating rooms designed specially for laparoscopy have been introduced in many departments. We do not know if they are more ergonomically correct. We will simulate laparoscopic tasks in an operating room. The hypothesis is that a traditional laparoscopic set-up is more demanding than a set-up mimicking an advanced operating room.