Radiation protection in theatre : an evaluation of patient and staff doses during selected theatre procedures.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to review medical literature regarding patient and surgeon radiation protection during certain orthopeadic theatre procedures involving the upper and lower limb. The literature search was carried out through the Medline ® and Cinahl ® databases, and the intemet. Keywords used in order to find information required included 'fluoroscopy', 'orthopeadic theatre', 'radiation protection', 'dosimeter', and 'ionizing radiation'. Radiation protection is a challenge in a theatre setting. Literature findings have shown that there are three basic principles in radiation protection. These are time, distance and shielding. However during some cases in orthopeadic theatre it is not possible for all of these principles to be regulated. Therefore other means and ways of radiation protection for the patient and also the staff have to be indicated. Literature found indicated that by placing the image intensifier in the above position is the best practice as there is a less amount in scattered dose emitted (Statkiewicz Sherer et al., 2006). Thus concept was taken and experimented on in order to find out if this was true and if so if both the patient and the surgeon gain from this.