Quantifying Ergonomic Risk Among Otolaryngology Surgeons

What is the intraoperative musculoskeletal strain and ergonomic risk experienced by otolaryngologists during head and neck operations?In this prospective cross-sectional study of 17 otolaryngologists across 80 operations, 37% of attending physician and 43% of resident/fellow intraoperative Rapid Upper Limb Assessment scores indicated medium to high ergonomic risk. Increasing case difficulty and longer operative duration were associated with higher pain scores and worsening ergonomic risk, respectively, over time; glove size was also associated with increased pain.Otolaryngologists experience measurable acute musculoskeletal strain during operations, highlighting the need for ergonomic interventions to reduce risk and preserve surgical performance.

Corresponding Author: Rusha Patel, MD, Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, 800 Stanton L. Young Blvd, Ste 1400, Oklahoma City, OK 73104 (rusha-patel@ou.edu).

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