Supporting Surgical Teams: Identifying Needs and Barriers for Exoskeleton Implementation in the Operating Room

Area of Science:

• Ergonomics and Human Factors
• Occupational Health
• Surgical Technology

Background:

• Musculoskeletal (MS) symptoms are prevalent among surgical team members, impacting health and performance.
• Despite recognized ergonomic risks in surgery, effective interventions are lacking.
• Exoskeletons offer a potential solution to mitigate these issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify needs and barriers for using exoskeletons to reduce MS symptoms in operating room (OR) workers.
• To explore the feasibility and user experience of upper-body exoskeletons in a simulated surgical environment.

Main Methods:

• Focus groups with 14 surgical team members.
• Simulated surgical task using an upper-body exoskeleton.
• Usability questionnaire and content analysis of themes.

Main Results:

• Four key themes emerged: individual characteristics, perceived benefits, environmental factors, and intervention characteristics.
• Participants recognized potential for decreased MS symptoms with exoskeleton use, especially for prolonged static postures.
• System Usability Scale scores averaged 81.3/100, indicating acceptable usability.

Conclusions:

• Exoskeletons have potential benefits for OR staff, with usability identified as a key adoption factor.
• Barriers such as maintenance and safety require attention for successful implementation.
• Identifying facilitators and barriers is crucial for sustained exoskeleton use by surgical teams.