Noise-Induced Hearing Loss: Should Surgeons Be Wearing Ear Protection During Primary Total Joint Arthroplasty?

ABSTRACT:

Background

The risk of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) to orthopedic surgeons due to occupational exposures is unknown. A level of 85 decibels (dB) over an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) is considered hazardous.

Question/purpose

We sought to identify whether manual and/or robotic arthroplasty procedures increase surgeons' risk of developing NIHL.

Methods

At our institution, we prospectively collected intraoperative recordings with a microphone attached to the surgeon during manual total knee arthroplasty (TKA), manual total hip arthroplasty (THA), and robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RTKA). Recordings taken in the operating room without operating room staff present served as baseline controls. The 172 recordings consisted of 46 baseline, 42 THA, 40 TKA,

SUBMITTER: Kwan SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11572446 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature