An online questionnaire was developed in collaboration with an ergonomist (RHM) for the

purpose of this international study on musculoskeletal complaints experienced by urologists.

The questionnaire gathers information on the complaints, the potential relation with

endourology and laparoscopy according to the opinion of urologists, and it assesses the

urologists’ knowledge on ergonomics in the operation room.

The questionnaire consisted of four parts. The first part contained ten questions about general

endourology and/or laparoscopy, general medical history and whether physical complaints

were experienced during the past twelve months. Endourology was defined as transurethral

resection of the prostate, transurethral resecton of bladder tumor, ureterorenoscopy,

percutanous nephrolithothomy. Medical history was predefined as neckhernia, backhernia,

joint complaints due to traumatic event, rheumatic disease, scoliosis and an open section for

other pathology in medical history of the musculoskeletal system. The second part contained

three specific questions for endourology, e.g. workload, physical discomfort, the occurrence

of chronic complaints which are attributed to endourology and if the urologist ever reported

absence of work because of the experienced chronic physical problems. The third part

contained the same questions specifically for laparoscopy. Chronic complaints were defined

as musculoskeletal problems, which are experienced 6 months or longer. The fourth part

consisted of three questions to assess how urologists’ consider their knowledge regarding

optimal ergonomic conditions for minimal invasive urology, if they consider knowledge about

ergonomics in urological procedures important and how they prefer to gain knowledge on this

topic. All respondents were asked to rate their knowledge regarding monitor adjustment, table

height and body posture on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 is “no knowledge”, 2 is “little