Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Perfusion Staff in Germany

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are highly prevalent among healthcare workers, particularly in nursing staff, where reported prevalence rates range from 57% to 93%. Perfusionists are highly specialized healthcare professionals responsible for operating heart-lung machines during cardiac surgery. To date, the prevalence of MSDs in this professional group has not been systematically investigated. To address this gap, perfusionists in Germany were surveyed about MSDs. Methods: The German version of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) was used. Pearson correlation and chi-squared tests were applied. Results: 287 perfusionists (72 female, 215 male; age 42.6 ± 11.9 years, professional experience 13.5 ± 10.9 years) from 45 German cardiac centers participated. 86% reported MSDs, with the lower back (65.5%) and neck (58.9%) being most frequently affected, with 4.5% to 36.6% in the other body regions. Increasing age was significantly associated with higher prevalence in six body regions, more professional experience was connected in five regions. Occupational risk factors previously identified in nursing were found to be applicable in perfusion. Conclusion: This study demonstrates a high prevalence of MSDs among perfusion staff in Germany. The findings underscore the need for preventive measures, coping strategies, and further research to reduce work related musculoskeletal strain in perfusion staff.