W.S.B.--a fluoroscopy C-arm communication strategy
Timothy H D Williams1, Amanda G Syrett, Timothy J Brammar
1April Cottage, Leys Road, Tostock, Suffolk, UK. thdwilliams@hotmail.com
Background:
Good communication between an operating clinician and the attending radiographer when using C-arm fluoroscopy is vital. Efficient and safe use of ionising radiation protects all theatre staff. The object of this study was to design and test a single communication language for use in all fluoroscopy-assisted procedures.
Method:
A clinician guiding a radiographer performed a control 'no-rules' experiment of 56 targeting manoeuvres with a fluoroscopic C-arm on a scientific model. A single beam laser replaced the usual ionising radiation beam. The time taken for each targeting along with the laser exposure required was recorded. Following a period of instruction, the experiment was repeated using only our pre-defined communication strategy. The data was collected for statistical analysis.
Results:
A statistically significant reduction was seen in the time taken for each targeting manoeuvre and the laser exposure required when using our strategy.
Conclusion:
This study shows that using our pre-prepared communication strategy could significantly improve efficiency and safety of fluoroscopic C-arm use.
