Analysis of body‐, arm‐ and hand‐posture and the human‐machine‐interaction when using an arm‐support‐device for laproscopic surgery – results of an evaluation in laboratory setting

Abstract

The aim of this article is the analysis of a multidisciplinary developed first prototype of an innovative Arm‐Support‐Device (ASD) for laparoscopic surgery. This device follows the motions of the leaned lower arm of the surgeon and supports the posture in order to relief the surgeon. During the multidisciplinary development process, important requirements of surgeons from gynecology and urology were compiled. Requirements like physical relief and usability‐enhancement when using comparable techniques are shown in some studies. The fulfillment of further important requirements concerning the human‐machine‐interaction between surgeon and ASD as well as the effects of the ASD on the body‐, arm‐ and hand‐posture of the surgeon are analyzed in this study. Therefore 12 surgeons performed simulated laparoscopic static and dynamic tasks on a so‐called pelvi‐trainer in laboratory‐setting using the developed ASD and without using the ASD. For analysis life‐record data from two perspectives (frontal and sagittal), the method of thinking aloud and the interview were used. The analysis shows that body‐, arm‐ and hand postures of the surgeons are mainly similar independent of the use of the ASD. The surgeons used the ASD intuitively for getting in, operating and getting out, which were important requirements. Nevertheless a familiarization is necessary. It is expected that some deficits of the ASD‐prototype can be avoided in the possible next step of developing an end‐design‐product by using the results of this study. These deficits are skidding down of the arm of the surgeon from the support for some steeper arm‐postures and rarely appearing collision of the support with the fixed endoscope.