This stabilizing tool helps surgeons keep their hands steady while performing micro-surgery and supermicro-surgery, where fine motor skills are crucial to success. A tremor can be a major limitation for surgeons performing fine surgical tasks, as it can affect both the quality and the duration of an operation. Most surgeons experience some degree of hand tremor, but exaggerated tremors are significantly more common in young surgeons in training and in older surgeons. Fatigue during long surgeries also can contribute to increased tremor in surgeons of all ages and experience levels. Providing surfaces for surgeons to rest their hands on while operating can decrease tremor by more than 2.5 times. However, most available devices for supporting the hand in surgery are cumbersome and can interfere with the operation, which could lead to inaccurate micro-movements and discomfort for the surgeon.
Researchers at the University of Florida have developed an ergonomic hand stabilization device that allows for maximum range of movement. The convenient tool provides comfortable support and stability for the hand during surgery while ensuring full wrist and forearm range of motion, decreasing strain on forearm stabilization muscles.
Easily manageable surgical device that provides stability for the hand while also allowing full range of motion for a surgeon’s wrist and forearm
The hand-stabilizing device consists of a base, a sturdy yet flexible stem, and a two-ringed finger grip. A surgeon places one finger through each ring of the device. The surgeon then rests the base of the device on a surface in the work area. The surgeon is able to rest his hand on the device while also holding a surgical instrument with the free fingers of the same hand, maintaining full wrist and forearm range of motion in order to perform the operation.