Radiation Safety during Spine Interventions

Occupational Radiation Protection in Interventional Radiology: A Joint Guideline of the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology Society of Europe and the Society of Interventional Radiology

“…In addition, rolling and stationary shields which rest on the floor, constructed of transparent leaded plastic, are available and are useful for providing additional shielding for both operators and staff. They are particularly well suited for use by nurses and anesthesia personnel [37].…”

“…When side exposure is included (the typical situation in clinical practice), the protection factor is decreased to between 2 and 3 [53]. Combining various types of shielding (i.e., table-suspended drapes, ceiling-suspended screens, aprons, leaded glasses, mobile shields, and disposable drapes) results in a dramatic dose reduction for the operator [37,40]. This should be the norm, rather than the exception.…”

Radiation Exposure to the Surgeon During Open Lumbar Microdiscectomy and Minimally Invasive Microdiscectomy

“…Previous studies have validated the use of lead aprons and thyroid shields as protective. [11][12][13] Second, unprotected exposure at the level of the thyroid was necessary to estimate ocular exposure. Third, it was felt that establishing the surgeon during open cases will be much less than in MIS cases.…”

Use of Minimally Invasive Surgical Techniques in the Management of Thoracolumbar Trauma

“…MIS techniques often require a substantial amount of fluoroscopy; consequently, appropriate education and techniques to reduce patient and occupational radiation exposure are prudent. [42][43][44][45] The use of neurophysiologic monitoring can also be a useful safety adjunct.…”