Patient positioning during surgery can be a critical factor in a positive outcome, for the procedure itself and for the patient's comfort both during the procedure and recovery after.
But what about the surgeon's position and comfort while performing a procedure? That can also have a major influence on the outcome for the procedure. While the majority of surgery performed in the U.S. is with the surgeon standing, there are many procedures where the surgeon is seated, either by preference or necessity. For example:
Surgeon chairs at Weill Cornell Neuromodulation Lab
New York, NY
dental
eye
microsurgery
neurosurgery
oral-maxillofacial
otolaryngology
urology
gynecology
VES (video endoscopy), including robotic and 3D surgery
Surgeon complaints about stress and fatigue during surgery can often be alleviated with the proper surgical chair. In addition to comfort, surgeon stability during seated surgical procedures is an important consideration. Surgeon forearm and wrist support and a supportive backrest is especially important for microsurgical procedures where a microscope is used. Adequate chair wrist support is needed to minimize unwanted tremor and maximize individual finger dexterity. A shift of one-half inch (1mm) can alter the precision of motion at high magnification. Good shoulder, arm, wrist and hand support in a seated position minimizes the risk of error, especially with fine finger movement.
A surgical chair should have an adjustable height and pitch angle armrest, as well as a mechanism for the surgeon to raise or lower the chair without compromising the surgical field. Floating armrests also add to surgeon comfort during lengthy procedures.
When training in a bioskills lab there may be limited resources for providing surgeon seating equivalent to what would be found in the OR. One exception is the Neuromodulation Lab at Weill Cornell Medical School, which provides surgeon chairs for resident and fellowship training. In a lab environment, rolling doctor stools, office chairs, and stationary stools may also be used.
What type of surgeon seating do you provide in your facility? Would better seating help create a better experience for your trainings and demonstrations? If you are in need of surgical seating for your lab facility, call us: 303-750-5357. MEDSource is the FDA registered import agent for Akrus chairs based in Elmshorm, Germany. Akrus has been designing and manufacturing specialty products for the medical industry since 1946 and offers a complete line of surgeon stools and surgical chairs.
Tools of the Trade
Skull Clamp
Skull-based Surgery
MED
Source offers a number of tools to help with skull-based surgery in a bioskills lab:
Skull clamps
Headrests - gel and foam
Basic craniotomy, ENT and Maxillofacial instruments
Stryker Craniotomy package, which includes:
CORE Console and high-speed drill with handswitch
Long straight attachment
Perforator chuck
Zyphr Perforator (large)
Craniotome footed attachment
D-58 tapered router
Akrus AK445 Surgeon Chair (manual)
Need surgeon seating for your facility? We offer the full line of Akrus surgical chairs and stools.
Call us today at 303-750-5357 or email us and request a quote.
Akrus AK480 Surgeon Chair
(battery-powered)
Lab Profile: Andrews Research & Education Foundation (AREF)
The Andrews Research & Education Foundation (AREF) Surgical Skills Lab provides space and services for medical professionals to experience hands-on training to advance their skills and knowledge in a wide variety of healthcare professions. Lab amenities supplement a dynamic learning environment to further enhance surgical training, education programs, innovative research, and device testing.
The 2,000 square foot lab was renovated in 2016 and is located 12 miles from Pensacola International Airport.
The AREF Surgical Skills lab features:
9 mobile workstations
full arthroscopic capabilities
an Instron machine for biomechanics device testing
a mobile C-arm to accommodate imaging needs
wet lab
conference seating for 100
sterilizer
AV capabilities
Contact the Andrews Research & Education Foundation (AREF) in Gulf Breeze, FL today to book your next training event!
You can find more information about AREF and other bioskills labs at www.bioskillslabs.com. Registration is free. Whether you want to promote your lab, or are working in the industry and are looking for a lab, we welcome your participation.
