A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY TO ASSESS THE AWARENESS AND ADHERENCE TO THE GUIDELINES OF ERGONOMICS IN MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERIES PERFORMED BY RESIDENTS AND SURGEONS AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN LAHORE

Minimal invasive surgeries have been performed on the patients for the well-known advantages of it and it has been used in several fields of surgery such as general surgery, gynaecology & obstetrics, urology and cardiothoracic etc. The concentration of the surgeon and his quality of skill required is very high especially when it comes to fine work required in MIS. Hence there is an increasing need to follow basic ergonomic guidelines to make it relatively easy for the surgeons and improve their efficiency and safety of the procedures. Ergonomics refers to a scientific discipline which sets a bond between the system elements and comprehension of human interactions, with the application of professional theory, methods, data and principles for the optimization of the overall performance of the system and human well-being. Surgeons working in operating rooms which have not been designed according to their comfort and needs make them prone to musculoskeletal pain and injuries. Designing a surgical unit by keeping in view the needs and comfort of surgeons is not only likely to make their job easy but also help their confidence and reduce their stress. Factors that are most likely to affect his/her approach are the height of the table and the size and height of the monitor. The staff should be able to adjust these according to the need but due to the lack of understanding and ignorance of ergonomic guidelines, surgeons may perform MIS in a way which is either not safe or a cause of discomfort. This research will study the correlation between table height, monitor height and size and the development of pain in the neck, arms, shoulder, knee or feet and also the awareness regarding ergonomic guidelines among the surgeons of Mayo Hospital, Lahore (MHL), from September 2016 to October 2017.