Microbreaks in Laparoscopic Appendectomy have No Effect on Surgeons' Performance and Well-being.

Area of Science:

• Surgical Science
• Occupational Health
• Human Factors Engineering

Background:

• Surgeons frequently experience musculoskeletal fatigue and pain, affecting 70%-87% of practitioners.
• Laparoscopic appendectomy is a common surgical procedure where surgeon fatigue can be a concern.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of microbreaks on surgeon performance and well-being during laparoscopic appendectomy.
• To assess if short, frequent rests can mitigate fatigue and discomfort in surgeons.

Main Methods:

• A blinded randomized crossover trial involving twelve surgeons.
• Evaluated musculoskeletal endurance, procedure length, and manual precision.
• Assessed surgeon well-being using exhaustion and pain rating scales.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed in musculoskeletal endurance, procedure time, or manual precision between groups.
• Surgeon exhaustion increased significantly after both standard and microbreak procedures, with no difference between them.
• Musculoskeletal discomfort in the back, shoulders, and legs increased post-surgery, irrespective of microbreak use.

Conclusions:

• Microbreaks did not demonstrate a positive effect on surgeon performance or well-being in laparoscopic appendectomy.
• Short surgical procedures (<60 min) can lead to significant surgeon fatigue and discomfort.
• Further research may be needed to explore effective fatigue mitigation strategies for surgeons.