New System of Instrument Stabilization in Laryngeal Microsurgery

Laryngeal microsurgery is a kind of treatment for various laryngeal diseases. Because of the need of long instruments and delicate maneuvers, involuntary movements represent relevant difficulty and may be responsible for unintended post-operative results. Aim: This study proposes a new stabilization system, flexible and versatile, which can significantly reduce involuntary movements made by surgeons. Methods: This experimental study compared the amplitude of surgeons' involuntary movements with and without the stabilization system. Ten surgeons performed a total of six movements mimicking movements used in laryngeal microsurgery, two of them without the stabilization system. The maneuvers were repeated with the stabilization system and the wire stretched, and after this, the wire was then expanded 3mm and the maneuvers were performed. The average values of the maximum instrument displacement were compared between the groups. Results: The maximum displacement was higher during the maneuver with the still micro-scissors without the system, when compared with the stabilization system in three different situations. The average was also higher in the maneuver to open and close the micro scissors without the system and with it. Conclusion: The proposed stabilization system was effective in reducing surgeon shaking in the different situations tested.