Evaluation of the Occupational Radiation Exposure from C-arm Fluoroscopy during Common Orthopaedic Surgical...

Area of Science:

• Medical Physics
• Occupational Health
• Orthopaedic Surgery

Background:

• Fluoroscopy use in orthopaedic surgery poses a risk of radiation-induced carcinoma for theatre staff.
• Accurate assessment of occupational radiation doses (ORD) is crucial for staff safety.
• Established reference standards provide benchmarks for acceptable radiation exposure levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify occupational radiation doses (ORD) for orthopaedic theatre personnel during fluoroscopy-guided procedures.
• To compare calculated ORD with established international reference standards.
• To identify variations in radiation exposure among different theatre staff roles.

Main Methods:

• Dose Area Products (DAP) were recorded during 50 common orthopaedic surgeries across two hospitals.
• Occupational radiation doses (ORD) for four distinct theatre personnel roles were simulated.
• Statistical analysis was performed on the collected and simulated ORD data.

Main Results:

• The calculated mean annual occupational radiation dose was 0.977 mSv.
• All recorded dosages were significantly below the annual reference threshold of 20 mSv.
• Orthopaedic surgeons received the highest proportion of the total ORD (88.89%), while anaesthetists received the least (77.78%).

Conclusions:

• Occupational radiation doses for orthopaedic theatre staff during fluoroscopy-guided surgeries are within safe limits.
• The study highlights the need for radiation safety protocols tailored to specific roles within the operating theatre.
• Findings support the continued use of fluoroscopy in orthopaedic procedures with appropriate protective measures.