Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39527346›Full record

ArticleJournal of robotic surgery2024

Speech communication interference in the robotic operating room.

Gary Sutkin, Carsen Steele, Margaret Brommelsiek, Richard John Simonson, Yui-Yee Raymond Chan, Amber Davies, Ken Catchpole

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of robotic surgery, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Noise levels in tele-operated robotic-assisted surgery-a phase-based analysis.International journal of computer assisted radiology and surgery · 2026
    Article
  2. Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Gary SutkinUrogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine, 2411 Holmes Street, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA. sutking@umkc.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6336-5109
Carsen SteeleUrogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine, 2411 Holmes Street, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA.
Margaret BrommelsiekInterprofessional Education Health Sciences Schools, University of Missouri Kansas City School of Nursing, Kansas City, MO, USA.
Richard John SimonsonChildrens Mercy Hospital, University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Kansas City, MO, USA.
Yui-Yee Raymond ChanChildrens Mercy Hospital, University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics, Kansas City, MO, USA.
Amber DaviesDepartment of Anesthesia, University Health Hospital System, Kansas City, MO, USA.
Ken CatchpoleEmbedded Human Factors and Clinical Safety Science Unit, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.

Funding

A Human Factors Approach to Mitigating Speech Communication Interference in the Operating RoomR01HS029508 · AHRQ · UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI KANSAS CITY · PI Gary Sutkin · 2024 to 2026
$1.2M
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality 1R01HS029508-01A1AHRQ HHS R01 HS029508Intuitive Foundation 2023
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Miscommunication in the OR is a threat to patient safety and surgical efficiency. Our objective was to measure the frequency and causes of communication interference between robotic team members. We observed 78 robotic surgeries over 215 h. 65.4% were General Surgery, most commonly cholecystectomy, identifying Speech Communication Interference (SCI) events, defined as "surgery-related group discourse that is disrupted according to the goals of the communication or the physical and situational context of the exchange". We noted the causes and strategies to correct the miscommunication, near misses, and case delays associated with each SCI event. Post-surgery interviews supported observations and were analyzed thematically. Overall, we observed 687 SCI events (mean 8.8 ± 6.5 per case, 3.2 per hour), ranging from one to 28 per case. 48 (7.0%) occurred during docking and 136 (19.8%) occurred during a critical moment. The most common causes were concurrent tasks (66.1%); loud noises (10.8%) from patient cart, lightbox fan, and suction machine; and overlapping conversations (4.2%). 94.8% resulted in a case delay. These events distracted from monitoring patient safety and resulted in near misses. Mitigating strategies included leaning out of the surgeon console to repeat the message and employing a messenger. These findings help characterize miscommunication in robotic surgery. Possible interventions include microphones and headsets, positioning the surgeon console closer to the bedside, moving loud equipment further away, and upgrading the patient cart speaker.

Indexed as

CommunicationOperating RoomsRobotic Surgical ProceduresSpeechHumansPatient Care TeamPatient SafetyAnesthesiaCommunicationInterprofessional teamworkOR nursing staffRobotic surgerySurgical error

Identifiers

PMID39527346
PMCPMC11670802

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.