13. Ergonomic concepts in endoscopic surgery

Poor body posture during minimally invasive surgery (MIS) leads to physical complaints in the majority of surgeons. Applying basic ergonomic concepts helps to improve this. The surgeon must strive for neutral body posture during surgery. This is affected by the set-up of the patient and equipment in the operating room. Monitor positioning during MIS is a major determinant of body posture, and attention must be given to repositioning the monitors when necessary. Patient and team positioning should be performed with the comfort of the operating team in mind. Surgical tools must be fully functional and require proper use. Several technological developments in MIS can be useful to improve ergonomics. Adhering to basic ergonomic concepts in MIS can reduce the physical and mental strain on surgeons thereby improving surgeons’ health.