A protective method to reduce radiation exposure to the surgeon during endoscopic lumbar spine surgery

Endoscopic lumbar spine surgery is a minimally invasive technique that requires intraoperative fluoroscopic imaging. Fluoroscopy is a source of ionizing radiation, and exposure of the surgeon to this radiation has a risk for radiation-induced morbidities. To reduce this radiation exposure, we developed a protective method that can be used during endoscopic lumbar spine surgery. The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of this method.

A prospective interventional study was performed, in which the primary outcome was radiation exposure to the surgeon [Sievert (Sv)] per case. This was measured using a radiation badge at the levels of the neck, chest, and abdomen on the surface of a protector for the surgeon in 18 endoscopic lumbar spine surgeries, including 9 each with the radiation protection method and the conventional method. Data were also collected for age, gender, body mass index, operative side, and total fluoroscopy time. Primary outcomes were compared in cases that used the radiation protection method and the conventional method.

The mean radiation exposures to the surgeon at the neck, chest, and abdomen were 1.0, 0.8 and 0.7 µSv, respectively, using the radiation protection method, and 3.2, 10.8, and 10.2 µSv, respectively, using the conventional method. The differences in exposure at all three points were significant (P=0.013, P<0.001, P<0.001, respectively).

These results show the effectiveness of the radiation protection method developed to reduce exposure of the surgeon to radiation during endoscopic lumbar spine surgery.