ArticleArchives of gynecology and obstetrics2023
Save our surgeons (SOS) - an explorative comparison of surgeons' muscular and cardiovascular demands, posture, perceived workload and discomfort during robotic vs. laparoscopic surgery.
Article in Archives of gynecology and obstetrics, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- The Use of Wearable Systems for Assessing Work-Related Risks Related to the Musculoskeletal System-A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Pooled it
- Visual, physical, and mental strain during simulated robotic surgical tasks on Hugo™ RAS and impact of microbreaks on them: a randomized controlled trial.Surgical endoscopy · 2026Trial
- Influence of surgical start time on the quality of surgery for middle and low rectal cancer: a post hoc analysis of the real trial.International journal of surgery (London, England) · 2025Trial
- Assessment methods for surgeons' ergonomics in the operating room: a scoping review.Surgical endoscopy · 2026Article
- Ergonomic evaluation of the Senhance® robotic system in minimally invasive gynecologic procedures versus conventional laparoscopy: an exploratory study focusing on surgeon's muscle activity.Archives of gynecology and obstetrics · 2026Article
- Electromyography in abdominal laparoscopic and robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery: A scoping review.PloS one · 2026Article
- Current status of robot-assisted surgery implementation in endometriosis centers: an international multicentric cross-sectional study.Archives of gynecology and obstetrics · 2025Article
- Optimising ergonomics in minimally invasive gynaecological surgery: a comprehensive review and practice recommendations.Facts, views & vision in ObGyn · 2025Article
- Influence of Intraoperative Active and Passive Breaks in Simulated Minimally Invasive Procedures on Surgeons' Perceived Discomfort, Performance, and Workload.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Design and evaluation of a smart passive dynamic arm support for robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery.Journal of robotic surgery · 2024Article
- Problems of performing gynaecological surgery under local anaesthesia.Archives of gynecology and obstetrics · 2023Article
- On-demand robotic surgery for hysterectomies: A combination of the best of robotic and laparoscopic approach.Women's health (London, England)Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeConventional laparoscopic surgery (CLS) imposes an increased risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Technical innovations, such as robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS), may provide ergonomic benefits. We compare the surgeon`s work-related demands of CLS vs RALS for benign hysterectomies.
methodsFive specialists (3 females, 2 males) each performed four RALS and four CLS as part of their daily clinical routine. During the surgical procedures, muscular demands were assessed by bipolar surface electromyograms of the descendent trapezius, extensor digitorum and flexor carpi radialis muscles as well as cardio-vascular demands by electrocardiography, and neck, arm and torso posture by gravimetrical position sensors. Additionally, the subjects rated their level of perceived workload (NASA TLX questionnaire with 6 dimension) and musculoskeletal discomfort (11-point Likert-scale, 0-10).
resultsMuscular demands of the trapezius and flexor carpi radialis muscles were lower with RALS but extensor digitorum demands increased. Cardiovascular demands were about 9 heart beats per minute (bpm) lower for RALS compared to CLS with a rather low median level for both surgical techniques (RALS = 84 bpm; CLS 90 bpm). The posture changed in RALS with an increase in neck and torso flexion, and a reduction in abduction and anteversion position of the right arm. The perceived workload was lower in the physical demands dimension but higher in the mental demands dimension during RALS. Subjective musculoskeletal discomfort was rare during both surgical techniques.
conclusionsThis explorative study identified several potential ergonomic benefits related to RALS which now can be verified by studies using hypothesis testing designs. However, potential effects on muscular demands in the lower arm extensor muscles also have to be addressed in such studies.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.