Ergonomic Evaluation of Exoskeleton Use in Transoral, Endoscopic, and Transcervical ENT Surgery: A Single Site Non-blinded Study

In the researchers' words

The goal of this observational study is to learn whether the use of an exoskeleton system can reduce musculoskeletal strain and fatigue during ENT surgical procedures in ENT surgeons performing transoral, endoscopic, and transcervical operations. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does the use of an exoskeleton reduce musculoskeletal strain and muscle activity (measured via sEMG and MVC) during surgery? Does the use of an exoskeleton reduce subjective pain and fatigue in the neck, shoulders, and wrists during and after surgery? Researchers will compare surgeries performed with the exoskeleton to those performed without it to determine if the device reduces physical strain and improves ergonomic outcomes. Participants will: Perform ENT surgical procedures with and without the exoskeleton system Have surface EMG electrodes placed on the neck and shoulders to measure muscle activity Undergo maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) testing before and after surgery (including wrist assessments) Provide subjective pain/strain scores at regular intervals (every 10 minutes) during procedures Follow standard surgical preparation and positioning protocols while data are recorded throughout the operation