Loupes, Microscopes, Exoscopes and Spine Health with Dr. Jeremy Greenlee

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Episode details:

Dr. Jeremy Greenlee is a Professor of Neurosurgery and Pediatrics at the University of Iowa specializing in adult and pediatric neurosurgery. He is the Dr. Arnold H. Menezes Chair in Neurosurgery and Vice-chair in the Department. His research interests include neurophysiology of the frontal lobe, endoscopic and minimally invasive neurosurgery and the treatment of pituitary tumors and movement disorders.

In this episode, Dr. Greenlee:

- Shares how traditional loupes, although great for visualization, can lead to cervical spine issues due to their weight and fixed (declination) angles 

- Describes why he gravitated towards using the operating microscope for his cases and how this may help remove some of the ergonomic issues related to using loupes and headlights

- Emphasizes that the microscope is not a panacea and it is important to pay attention to how you set up the microscope, keep the arms at the correct height and use arm rests as needed

- Discusses how newer loupes with steep angles of declination (including deflection loupes) can be helpful to maintain neutral neck posture in some situations, depending on the depth of the field one is working in

- Advises using breaks for improving both physical and cognitive ergonomics

- Suggests trying out exoscopes instead of using the operating microscopes, especially when working in small fields

- Advises attention to spine health via stretching and strengthening exercises to reduce the risk of degenerative spine issues

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