Collimation Reduces Radiation Exposure to the Surgeon in Endoscopic Spine Surgery: A Prospective Study

There are no previous studies in the literature comparing the radiation dose to which surgeons are exposed while using a standard fluoroscopy versus collimation during transforaminal percutaneous endoscopic lumbar diskectomy (PELD). The aim of this study is to compare this and to evaluate the effectiveness of collimation in reducing radiation exposure.

In this study, the operating surgeon (single surgeon) placed a gamma radiation dosimeter on his chest outside of the lead apron during transforaminal PELD surgeries and measured the radiation exposure immediately after each surgery. As foraminoplasty using free-hand reamers is a longer procedure and requires more fluoroscopy shots, we divided the patients into two groups. The first group consisted of 24 patients (nonforaminoplasty group). The second group consisted of 13 patients (foraminoplasty group). We compared the radiation exposure to the operating surgeon using a standard fluoroscopy versus collimation for each group individually and overall. We randomized the patients within each group based on the order in which they had their respective procedures.

We analyzed 39 patients who underwent transforaminal PELD between May and December 2019. In both groups, as well as overall, the recorded radiation exposure to the surgeon was significantly lower in surgeries in which collimation was used. In the first group, the radiation dose was 0.083 versus 0.039 mSv per surgery (p = 0.019), whereas in the second group, it was 0.153 versus 0.041 mSv per surgery (p = 0.001), and overall it was 0.108 versus 0.039 mSv per surgery (p < 0.001).

The use of collimation during transforaminal PELD significantly reduces spine the surgeon's exposure to radiation. Therefore, spine surgeons should consider using collimation during transforaminal PELD.