390
Despite the wide prevalence of surgeon discomfort and injury illustrated by
numerous anonymous surveys, few surgeons report the injuries to their institu-
tion [ 9 , 21 , 49 ]. Even in nonsurgical literature, musculoskeletal disorders are
highly underreported and are hard to link directly to work-related activities [ 50 ].
In a survey performed by the Tennessee Chapter of the American College of
Surgeons in 2014, 40% of respondents noted that they experienced a work-related
injury. Of those injured, only 50% received medical care and even fewer (19%)
Table 22.2 (continued)
Surgical
specialtyPrevalence of
musculoskeletal
discomfort
attributed to
operatingLocation of
discomfort Reported injuries
Orthopedics 67% [ 21 ] Lower back: 50% [ 33 ]
Neck: 39% [ 33 ]
Shoulder: 32% [ 33 ]
Upper back: 24% [ 33 ]27% Chronic lower back pain [ 34 ]
17% Wrist or forearm
tendinitis [ 34 ]
15% Lateral elbow
epicondylitis [ 34 ]
14% Plantar fasciitis [ 34 ]
13% Carpal tunnel syndrome [ 34 ]
13% Shoulder tendinitis [ 34 ]
9% Knee osteoarthritis [ 34 ]
Otolaryngology 62–84% [ 21 ,
35 – 37 ]Neck: 82% [ 38 ],
60% [ 35 ]
Back: 57% [ 35 ]
Lower back: 56% [ 38 ]
Upper back: 40% [ 38 ]
Shoulders: 40% [ 38 ]
Wrist/hand: 19% [ 35 ]
Pediatrics 45–67% [ 39 – 41 ] Lower back: 44% [ 41 ]
Upper extremity:
34% [ 41 ]
Shoulder: 23% [ 41 ]
Neck: 24% [ 41 ]15% Lateral elbow
epicondylitis [ 41 ]
13% Shoulder tendinitis/
impingement [ 41 ]
10% Cervical radiculopathy [ 41 ]
10% Carpal tunnel syndrome [ 41 ]
Plastics 82–94% [ 21 , 42 ] Cervical disc herniation [ 43 ]
15% Carpal tunnel syndrome [ 42 ]
14% Epicondylitis [ 42 ]
Urology 86% [ 44 ] Wrist/hand: 67%
[ 45 ], 63% [ 46 ],
42% [ 44 ]
Neck: 59% [ 44 ],
58% [ 46 ]
Back: 57% [ 44 ],
53% [ 46 ], 33% [ 45 ]
Shoulder: 51% [ 44 ],
34% [ 46 ]
Arm: 26% [ 44 ]
Leg: 22% [ 46 ]
Eyestrain: 22% [ 45 ]43% Chronic back or neck
pain [ 17 ]
49% Chronic pain [ 44 ]
30% Arthritic or neuromuscular
symptoms [ 47 ]
18% Paresthesias, most
commonly in the thumb and/or
middle finger
18% Finger numbness during
laparoscopy [ 16 ]Vascular 83% [ 48 ]C. Ronstrom et al.