Comprehensive Ophthalmology Free Papers - aioseducation

70th AIOC Proceedings, Cochin 2012
This study observed two facts. One was that the rise in heart rate of the surgeons,
an indicator of strain in response to stress and problems, was the highest in
the Phacoemulsification stage of all operations and is fairly stabilized before
and after it. This tendency was observed throughout the operating day while
performing relatively straightforward PE cases. Second was that most of the
surgeons did not show any alarming rise in heart rate or blood pressure at any
stage of surgery, contrary to our expectations. Two surgeons had high heart
rates and this was probably a reflection of their personality.
Each of the surgeons is capable of performing 15 to 30 cataract surgeries
continuously on a single operating theatre turn. The high output is facilitated
by a team of well trained, dedicated middle level ophthalmic personnel
(MLOP). They organise the OR, escort the patients, clean and drape them,
assist in surgery and verify the biometry and identity of the patient. This
streamlines the system and allows the surgeon to focus only on the surgery
at hand. It is implied that this smooth operation of the high volume cataract
surgery assembly line enhances surgeon comfort and enables them to perform
multiple surgeries with the least mental stress.
The limitations of this study include that it measured heart rate and not HRV,
as continuous Holter monitoring of surgeons was not feasible. This limitation
could be overcome by a future study measuring the HRV of several surgeons.
In summary, this study is the first report to measure and evaluate the intraoperative
hemodynamic changes of ophthalmic surgeons as a measure of
their mental state and equilibrium.
In conclusion Surgeons’ stress in PE is reflected in excitement of the
cardiovascular system. Though it varies among individuals, PE stage seems
uniformly hemodynamically significant. A planned support system, trained
staff and OR tranquility ensure minimal mental stress.
Financial Interest: The authors do not have any financial interest in any of the
equipment, medications or techniques mentioned above.
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