Ergonomic evaluation and performance of a new handle for laparoscopic tools in surgery

Abstract

This paper presents a new handle for instruments used in laparoscopic surgery. This new handle has been designed to provide the best ergonomic and usability features required in this kind of surgical interventions. The main novelty of this handle is that the opening and closing motion of the end-effector is operated with the thumb using a lever located on the top of the handle. This enables the surgeon to reach the patient's organs without adopting extremely awkward postures. In order to demonstrate its advantages, the handle has been tested and compared with another commercial handle in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction. To this end, volunteers have been selected for participation in the experimental evaluation, which comprised two types of surveys: objective and subjective. Electromyography and goniometric studies provide objective parameters for evaluation. Questionnaires are used for the subjective assessment. Outstanding results include the lower level of pain reported by the individuals working with the new handle, as well as the reduction in the hyperflexion of the wrist. Compared with the conventional handle, electromyography reveals that no muscle load is increased when working with the new handle. The results of the subjective survey show that volunteers expressed a significant preference for the new handle, demonstrating an improvement in the ergonomic characteristics.

Keywords: Biomechanics; Handle design; Laparoscopic surgery.