title: Exposure of surgeons to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields during laparoscopic and robotic surgeries.
abstract: The development of new medical electronic devices and equipment has increased the use of electrical apparatuses in surgery. Many studies have reported the association of long-term exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MFs) with diseases or cancer. Robotic surgery has emerged as an alternative tool to overcome the disadvantages of conventional laparoscopic surgery. However, there has been no report regarding how much ELF-MF surgeons are exposed to during laparoscopic and robotic surgeries. In this observational study, we aimed to measure and compare the ELF-MFs that surgeons are exposed to during laparoscopic and robotic surgery.The intensities of the ELF-MFs surgeons are exposed to were measured every 4 seconds for 20 cases of laparoscopic surgery and 20 cases of robotic surgery using portable ELF-MF measuring devices with logging capability.The mean ELF-MF exposures were 0.6 ± 0.1 mG for laparoscopic surgeries and 0.3 ± 0.0 mG for robotic surgeries (significantly lower with P < 0.001 by Mann-Whitney U test).Our results show that the ELF-MF exposure levels of surgeons in both robotic and conventional laparoscopic surgery were lower than 2 mG, which is the most stringent level considered safe in many studies. However, we should not overlook the effects of long-term ELF-MF exposure during many surgeries in the course of a surgeon's career.
authors: From the Department of Medical Engineering (JSP, JWC, SBC, DWK); Department of Medicine (JSP); Graduate Program in Biomedical Engineering (JWC, DWK); Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science (SBC); the Colon and Rectal Surgery, Department of Surgery (NKK, MSC); and the Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery (CMK), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Jee Soo
authors: JS
authors: Park
authors: Jai Won
authors: JW
authors: Chung
authors: Nam Kyu
authors: NK
authors: Kim
authors: Min Soo
authors: MS
authors: Cho
authors: Chang Moo
authors: CM
authors: Kang
authors: Soo Beom
authors: SB
authors: Choi
authors: Deok Won
authors: DW
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D060526:Magnetic Fields; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures; D066231:Surgeons