Ergonomics in Laparoscopic Surgery

Despite the many advantages for patients, laparoscopic surgery entails certain ergonomic inconveniences for surgeons, which may result in decreasing the surgeons’ performance and musculoskeletal disorders. In this chapter, the current status of ergonomics in laparoscopy, laparoendoscopic single‐site surgery (LESS), and robot‐assisted surgery will be reviewed. Ergonomic guidelines for laparoscopic surgical practice and methods for ergonomic assessment in surgery will be described. Results will be based on the scientific literature and our experience. Results showed that the surgeon\u27s posture during laparoscopic surgery is mainly affected by the static body postures, the height of the operating table, the design of the surgical instruments, the position of the main screen, and the use of foot pedals. Ergonomics during the laparoscopic surgical practice is related to the level of experience. Better ergonomic conditions entail an improvement in task performance. Laparoscopic instruments with axial handle lead to a more ergonomic posture for the wrist compared to a ring handle. LESS is physically more demanding than conventional and hybrid approaches, requiring greater level of muscular activity in the back and arm muscles, but better wrist position compared with traditional laparoscopy. Physical and cognitive ergonomics with robotic assistance were significantly less challenging when compared to conventional laparoscopic surgery

Handheld Devices for Laparoscopic Surgery

Despite the well-known benefits of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) to the patients, this surgical technique implies some technical challenges for surgeons. These technical limitations are increased with the introduction of laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) surgery. In order to overcome some of these technical difficulties, new handheld devices have been developed, providing improved functionalities along with precision-driven and articulating instrument tips. In this chapter, we will review the current status of handheld devices for laparoscopy and LESS surgery. Devices that provide additional and innovative functionalities in comparison with conventional surgical instruments will be considered. Results will be based on studies published in the scientific literature and our experience. These surgical devices will be organized into two main groups, mechanical devices and robotic-driven devices. In general, these instruments intend to simulate the dexterity of movements of a human wrist. Mechanical devices are cheaper and easier to develop, so most of the available handheld instruments fall into this category. The majority of the robotic-driven devices are needle holders with an articulating tip, controlled by an interface implemented on the instrument handle. In general, these handheld devices claim to offer an enhancement of dexterity, precision, and ergonomics

Wearable Technology for the Validation of Surgical Systems and Surgical Assistance

Advances in sensors, internet of things and artificial intelligence are allowing wearable technology to constantly evolve, making it possible to have increasingly compact and versatile devices with clinically relevant and promising functionalities in the field of surgery. In this sense, wearable technology has been used in various fields of clinical and preclinical application such as the evaluation of the surgeon's ergonomic conditions, the interaction with the patient or the quality of the intervention, as well as surgical planning and assistance during the intervention. In this work we will present different types of wearable technologies for their application in the validation of surgical devices in minimally invasive surgery, and their application in assisting the surgical process. Within these technologies we will show electrodermal activity and electrocardiography devices to monitor the surgeon’s physiological state, and electromyography and motion analysis systems to study his/her ergonomics during the surgical practice. Apart from these systems, the introduction of extended reality technology (virtual, augmented, and mixed reality) has fostered the emergence of new immersive and interactive tools to assist in the planning of complex surgical procedures, surgical support and telementoring. As we can see, the application of wearable technology has a high impact on the validation of surgical systems in minimally invasive surgery, including laparoscopic surgery, microsurgery, and surgical robotics, as well as in the assistance of the surgical process, with the consequent benefit in the quality of patient care

Laparoscopic Pancreas Surgery: Image Guidance Solutions

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Surgery is the only viable treatment, but irradical resection rates are still high. Laparoscopic pancreatic surgery has some technical limitations for surgeons and tumor identification may be challenging. Image-guided techniques provide intraoperative margin assessment and visualization methods, which may be advantageous in guiding the surgeon to achieve curative resections and therefore improve the surgical outcomes. In this chapter, current available laparoscopic surgical approaches and image-guided techniques for pancreatic surgery are reviewed. Surgical outcomes of pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy performed by laparoscopy, laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS), and robotic surgery are included and analyzed. Besides, image-guided techniques such as intraoperative near-infrared fluorescence imaging and surgical navigation are presented as emerging techniques. Results show that minimally invasive procedures reported a reduction of blood loss, reduced length of hospital stay, and positive resection margins, as well as an improvement in spleen-preserving rates, when compared to open surgery. Studies reported that fluorescence-guided pancreatic surgery might be beneficial in cases where the pancreatic anatomy is difficult to identify. The first approach of a surgical navigation system for guidance during pancreatic resection procedures is presented, combining preoperative images (CT and MRI) with intraoperative laparoscopic ultrasound imaging

Educational models for training in minimally invasive colorectal surgery

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed malignancy and the fourth most deadly cancer in the world for which surgery is the main treatment. Colorectal surgery can be performed through a wide incision in the abdomen or using minimally invasive surgical (MIS) techniques. Some of these techniques include transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM ), transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS), transanal total mesorectal excision (TaTME ), and robot-assisted surgery. Studies increasingly confirm that resections using MIS techniques are safe, oncologically equivalent to open surgery and have better short-term results. These surgical approaches are, however, technically demanding and result in a steep learning curve. The main objective of this study is to review the different MIS techniques for colorectal surgery, as well as the training tools and programs designed to achieve the necessary surgical skills. Different training programs in colorectal surgery have been reported for the different surgical techniques analyzed. Most of these programs are based on training tools in the form of surgical simulators, physical and virtual, as well as the use of experimental and cadaveric models. However, structured training programs in minimally invasive colorectal surgery remain scarce, and there should be a consensus on the fundamental training aspects for the various surgical techniques presented. These training programs should ensure that surgeons acquire sufficient surgical skills to be competent in the development of these surgical techniques, improving the quality of the patient’s surgical outcomes.Rak jelita grubego (RJG) jest trzecim co do częstotliwości rozpoznawania nowotworem złośliwym na świecie, a także czwartą przyczyną zgonów na nowotwory złośliwe. Głównym elementem leczenia RJG jest operacja, którą można wykonać przez rozległe nacięcie powłok lub za pomocą technik minimalnie inwazyjnych. Do tych drugich należą: endoskopowa chirurgia transanalna (TEM ), przezodbytowa chirurgia minimalnie inwazyjna (TAMIS), przezodbytowe całkowite wycięcie mezorektum (TaTME ) oraz chirurgia wspomagana robotowo. Analizy danych potwierdzają, że techniki minimalnie inwazyjne są bezpieczne, równie skuteczne onkologicznie co techniki tradycyjne, a także wiążą się z szybszym powrotem chorych do pełnej sprawności. Ich wspólną cechą są niestety wysokie wymagania techniczne oraz długa krzywa uczenia. W artykule omówione zostały różne techniki minimalnie inwazyjne stosowane w leczeniu RJG oraz metody nauczania tych technik. Jak dotąd opracowano wiele sposobów szkolenia dla różnych technik operacyjnych. Większość opiera się na symulatorach chirurgicznych zarówno rzeczywistych, jak i wirtualnych oraz na wykorzystaniu modeli eksperymentalnych i preparatów z ludzkich zwłok. Niestety usystematyzowane modele szkolenia w minimalnie inwazyjnej chirurgii RJG są nadal rzadkością. Widać wyraźnie potrzebę opracowania konsensusu dotyczącego szkolenia w poszczególnych metodach operacyjnych. Tego rodzaju programy powinny zapewnić uczestniczącym w nich chirurgom zdobycie wiedzy pozwalającej na skuteczne wykonywanie zabiegów w celu zapewnienia pacjentom jak najlepszych efektów leczenia

Utilidad de un sistema de seguimiento óptico de instrumental en cirugía laparoscópica para evaluación de destrezas motoras

En este trabajo se estudia la utilidad de un sistema de evaluación de destrezas quirúrgicas basado en el análisis de los movimientos del instrumental laparoscópico. Método: El sistema consta de un simulador físico laparoscópico y un sistema de seguimiento y evaluación de habilidades técnicas quirúrgicas. En el estudio han participado 6 cirujanos con experiencia intermedia (entre 1 y 50 intervenciones laparoscópicas) y 5 cirujanos expertos (más de 50 intervenciones laparoscópicas), todos ellos con la mano derecha como dominante. Cada sujeto realizó 3 repeticiones de una tarea de corte con la mano derecha en tejido sintético, una disección de la serosa gástrica y una sutura en la disección realizada. Para cada ejercicio se analizaron los parámetros de tiempo, distancia recorrida, velocidad, aceleración y suavidad de movimientos para los instrumentos de ambas manos. Resultados: En la tarea de corte, los cirujanos expertos muestran menor aceleración (p = 0,014) y mayor suavidad en los movimientos (p = 0,023) en el uso de la tijera. Respecto a la actividad de disección, los cirujanos expertos requieren menos tiempo (p = 0,006) y recorren menos distancia con ambos instrumentos (p = 0,006 para disector y p = 0,01 para tijera). En la tarea de sutura, los cirujanos expertos presentan menor tiempo de ejecución que los cirujanos de nivel intermedio (p = 0,037) y recorren menos distancia con el disector (p = 0,041). Conclusiones: El sistema de evaluación se mostró útil en las tareas de corte, disección y sutura, y constituye un progreso en el desarrollo de sistemas avanzados de entrenamiento y evaluación de destrezas quirúrgicas laparoscópicas

Wearable Technology for Assessment and Surgical Assistance in Minimally Invasive Surgery

Wearable technology is an emerging field that has the potential to revolutionize healthcare. Advances in sensors, augmented reality devices, the internet of things, and artificial intelligence offer clinically relevant and promising functionalities in the field of surgery. Apart from its well-known benefits for the patient, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is a technically demanding surgical discipline for the surgeon. In this regard, wearable technology has been used in various fields of application in MIS such as the assessment of the surgeon’s ergonomic conditions, interaction with the patient or the quality of surgical performance, as well as in providing tools for surgical planning and assistance during surgery. The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview based on the scientific literature and our experience regarding the use of wearable technology in MIS, both in experimental and clinical settings

Systems and technologies for objective evaluation of technical skills in laparoscopic surgery

Minimally invasive surgery is a highly demanding surgical approach regarding technical requirements for the surgeon, who must be trained in order to perform a safe surgical intervention. Traditional surgical education in minimally invasive surgery is commonly based on subjective criteria to quantify and evaluate surgical abilities, which could be potentially unsafe for the patient. Authors, surgeons and associations are increasingly demanding the development of more objective assessment tools that can accredit surgeons as technically competent. This paper describes the state of the art in objective assessment methods of surgical skills. It gives an overview on assessment systems based on structured checklists and rating scales, surgical simulators, and instrument motion analysis. As a future work, an objective and automatic assessment method of surgical skills should be standardized as a means towards proficiency-based curricula for training in laparoscopic surgery and its certification

EVA: Laparoscopic instrument tracking based on endoscopic video analysis for psychomotor skills assessment

INTRODUCTION: The EVA (Endoscopic Video Analysis) tracking system a new tracking system for extracting motions of laparoscopic instruments based on non-obtrusive video tracking was developed. The feasibility of using EVA in laparoscopic settings has been tested in a box trainer setup. METHODS: EVA makes use of an algorithm that employs information of the laparoscopic instrument's shaft edges in the image, the instrument's insertion point, and the camera's optical centre to track the 3D position of the instrument tip. A validation study of EVA comprised a comparison of the measurements achieved with EVA and the TrEndo tracking system. To this end, 42 participants (16 novices, 22 residents, and 4 experts) were asked to perform a peg transfer task in a box trainer. Ten motion-based metrics were used to assess their performance. RESULTS: Construct validation of the EVA has been obtained for seven motion-based metrics. Concurrent validation revealed that there is a strong correlation between the results obtained by EVA and the TrEndo for metrics such as path length (p=0,97), average speed (p=0,94) or economy of volume (p=0,85), proving the viability of EVA. CONCLUSIONS: EVA has been successfully used in the training setup showing potential of endoscopic video analysis to assess laparoscopic psychomotor skills. The results encourage further implementation of video tracking in training setups and in image guided surgery