Urological Surgery Podium Presentation: Radiation Exposure in the Operating Room. A Hidden Killer?
Introduction/Purpose: Fluoroscopy is an important tool in endourology. Residents spend a significant amount of time performing fluoroscopic procedures. However, the actual amount of radiation to vulnerable parts of the body has not been well elucidated. Residents may be exposed to harmful amounts of radiation. The aim of this study is to investigate the amount of radiation exposure to different areas of the body, to evaluate the current compliance of radiation dosage guidelines and to evaluate the appropriateness of radiation standards in the Operating Room.
Methods or Case Description: Radex One Quarta Geiger Dosimeters were used to measure radiation exposure to the inner chest, thyroid/eyes, backside, and groin of the primary surgeon during various fluoroscopic procedures, (Figure 1). The amount of radiation was normalized using the total radiation emitted from the C-Arm X-ray.
Outcomes: Radiation exposure to various body parts during eighty-one endourologic procedures over a six month period was tabulated. The normalized average was then compared. The highest amount of radiation received was to the thyroid/eyes - 8.42μGy, followed by groin - 1.76μGy, backside - 1.53μGy, and inner chest - 1.07μGy per procedure as shown in table one. Protective equipment is variable and compliance is low in the OR.
Conclusion: Residents are unknowingly exposed to high amounts of radiation during fluoroscopic procedures, which can be harmful. Dose exposure varies by body region. Further investigation is warranted to improve occupational safety in the operating room, increase compliance by practitioners, and better protect body parts that are predisposed to higher radiation levels.
