TY - JOUR
T1 - Radiation Exposure among Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeons
T2 - Deconstructing Commonly Held Myths and Misperceptions
AU - Raffetto, Michael L.
AU - Blum, Laura E.
AU - Abbenhaus, Eric J.
AU - Hautala, Gavin S.
AU - Lemieux, Bryan
AU - Pease, Tyler
AU - Wright, Raymond D.
AU - Moghadamian, Eric S.
AU - Aneja, Arun
AU - Blair, James A.
AU - Matuszewski, Paul E.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. All rights reserved.
PY - 2022/8/1
Y1 - 2022/8/1
N2 - Objectives:To review and evaluate the validity of common perceptions and practices regarding radiation safety in orthopaedic trauma.Design:Retrospective study.Setting:Level 1 trauma center.Subjects:N/A.Intervention:The intervention involved personal protective equipment.Main Outcome Measurements:The main outcome measurements included radiation dose estimates.Results:Surgeon radiation exposure estimates performed at the level of the thyroid, chest, and pelvis demonstrate an estimated total annual exposure of 1521 mR, 2452 mR, and 1129 mR, respectively. In all cases, wearing lead provides a significant reduction (90% or better) in the amount of radiation exposure (in both radiation risk and levels of radiation reaching the body) received by the surgeon. Surgeons are inadequately protected from radiation exposure with noncircumferential lead. The commonly accepted notion that there is negligible exposure when standing greater than 6 feet from the radiation source is misleading, particularly when cumulative exposure is considered. Finally, we demonstrated that trauma surgeons specializing in pelvis and acetabular fracture care are at an increased risk of exposure to potentially dangerous levels of radiation, given the amount of radiation required for their caseload.Conclusion:Common myths and misperceptions regarding radiation in orthopaedic trauma are unfounded. Proper use of circumferential personal protective equipment is critical in preventing excess radiation exposure.
AB - Objectives:To review and evaluate the validity of common perceptions and practices regarding radiation safety in orthopaedic trauma.Design:Retrospective study.Setting:Level 1 trauma center.Subjects:N/A.Intervention:The intervention involved personal protective equipment.Main Outcome Measurements:The main outcome measurements included radiation dose estimates.Results:Surgeon radiation exposure estimates performed at the level of the thyroid, chest, and pelvis demonstrate an estimated total annual exposure of 1521 mR, 2452 mR, and 1129 mR, respectively. In all cases, wearing lead provides a significant reduction (90% or better) in the amount of radiation exposure (in both radiation risk and levels of radiation reaching the body) received by the surgeon. Surgeons are inadequately protected from radiation exposure with noncircumferential lead. The commonly accepted notion that there is negligible exposure when standing greater than 6 feet from the radiation source is misleading, particularly when cumulative exposure is considered. Finally, we demonstrated that trauma surgeons specializing in pelvis and acetabular fracture care are at an increased risk of exposure to potentially dangerous levels of radiation, given the amount of radiation required for their caseload.Conclusion:Common myths and misperceptions regarding radiation in orthopaedic trauma are unfounded. Proper use of circumferential personal protective equipment is critical in preventing excess radiation exposure.
KW - orthopaedic trauma
KW - personal protective equipment
KW - radiation exposure
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85130766240&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85130766240&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/BOT.0000000000002340
DO - 10.1097/BOT.0000000000002340
M3 - Review article
C2 - 34992194
AN - SCOPUS:85130766240
SN - 0890-5339
VL - 36
SP - 375
EP - 381
JO - Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma
JF - Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma
IS - 8
ER -