Gender Sensitive Ergonomic Evaluation of a Disposable Ureteroscope Handle

Abstract

Disposable flexible ureteroscopy requires prolonged one handed holding, repeated thumb control, and frequent accessory changes. These demands may disadvantage users with smaller hands. This study developed a Human Factors Evaluation for Ureteroscopy system, named HFE-U, based on a User, Task, Environment, and Product model. The system contains five dimensions: grip comfort, interaction comfort, operational portability and efficiency, postural and whole body load, and perceived safety and innovation acceptance. Forty eight candidate indicators were generated from literature review, product analysis, clinician interviews, and questionnaires. Thirty eight core indicators were retained after item analysis and expert content validation. Guided by this system, a four stage iterative design produced a fully integrated handle prototype. In a simulated static holding experiment with 20 female and 20 male students, the prototype showed higher VAS grip comfort than the conventional handle. Female participants showed a larger descriptive improvement, although the sex by handle type interaction was not significant.

Keywords: Human Factors, Ergonomic Evaluation, Disposable Ureteroscope, Gender Sensitive Design, Iterative Design, Inclusive Medical Devices

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007425