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Fingertip Forces and Thenar Pressure During Instrument Use in Simulated Meniscectomy: A Comparative Study of Rongeur
Elisha Raeker-Jordan1, Cindy Nahhas1, Majd Mzeihem1
1University of Illinois Chicago, USA.
Hand (New York, N.Y.)
|August 5, 2026
Summary
Surgical instrument design impacts hand forces during meniscectomy. The pituitary rongeur significantly increases finger and thenar forces compared to forceps, potentially leading to surgeon strain.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Biomechanics
- Surgical Instrumentation
Background:
- Repetitive surgical tasks can lead to hand and thumb strain.
- Instrument design may alter force distribution during surgery.
- Limited quantitative data exists on hand forces during orthopedic procedures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify fingertip forces and thenar pressure during simulated meniscectomy.
- To compare forces exerted by a pituitary rongeur versus Ferris-Smith forceps.
- To investigate the influence of instrument design on hand loading.
Main Methods:
- Orthopedic residents performed simulated meniscectomy on porcine knees.
- TekScan pressure sensors measured force distribution across the hand.
- Force data was collected for both pituitary rongeur and Ferris-Smith forceps use.
Main Results:
- The pituitary rongeur generated significantly higher forces in the fingers and thenar region compared to forceps.
- Thumb-tip forces were comparable between the rongeur and forceps.
- No significant demographic associations were found with force measurements, except for thumb-tip force with forceps.
Conclusions:
- Instrument design critically influences hand force distribution during meniscectomy.
- The rongeur places greater mechanical demand on the fingers and thenar region.
- Repetitive use of the rongeur may contribute to cumulative hand and carpometacarpal strain in surgeons.
