Design requirements to improve laparoscopy via XR

TL;DR

This paper identifies key design requirements for XR-enhanced laparoscopy to improve surgeon comfort, communication, and ergonomics by analyzing real surgical practices and constraints.

Contribution

It introduces specific design requirements for XR in laparoscopy based on user and task analysis of actual surgical environments.

Findings

Identified communication and ergonomic constraints in laparoscopic surgery.

Proposed design requirements for XR solutions to improve surgeon comfort.

Analyzed real surgical environments to inform design improvements.

Abstract

Laparoscopic surgery has the advantage of avoiding large open incisions and thereby decreasing blood loss, pain, and discomfort to patients. However, on the other side, it is hampered by restricted workspace, ambiguous communication, and surgeon fatigue caused by non-ergonomic head positioning. We aimed to identify critical problems and suggest design requirements and solutions. We used user and task analysis methods to learn about practices performed in an operating room by observing surgeons in their working environment to understand how they performed tasks and achieved their intended goals. Drawing on observations and analysis from recorded laparoscopic surgeries, we have identified several constraints and design requirements to propose potential solutions to address the issues. Surgeons operate in a dimly lit environment, surrounded by monitors, and communicate through verbal commands and pointing gestures. Therefore, performing user and task analysis allowed us to better understand the existing problems in laparoscopy while identifying several communication constraints and design requirements, which a solution has to follow to address those problems. Our contributions include identifying design requirements for laparoscopy surgery through a user and task analysis. These requirements propose design solutions towards improved surgeons' comfort and make the surgical procedure less laborious.