Outpatient Surgery Magazine

Special Outpatient Surgery Edition - Staff & Patient Safety - October 2017

Outpatient Surgery Magazine, providing current information on Surgical Services, Surgical Facility Administration, Outpatient Surgery News and Trends, OR Excellence and more.

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O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 7 3 ing surgery effectively and safely. Getting surgical images with as little radiation exposure as possible, and magnifying images only when it's clinically necessary, will improve the safety of everyone in the room. There are several ways to adhere to the ALARA principle: • Use fewer shots. Pulsed fluoroscopy captures 1 to 6 images per second and, when clinically appropriate, is preferable to continuous fluoroscopy, which captures 30 images per second. • Have a plan. Mark anatomical landmarks on the patient or on the surgical drapes to let surgeons and radiology techs focus on targeted anatomy with fewer fluoroscopic shots. Using tape to mark where the C-arm should be posi- tioned and repositioned when multiple images are needed can also help limit the shots taken and will shorten case times. • Direct the beam. Collimation involves adjusting the size of the C-arm's aper- ture to reduce the size of the X-ray beam and focus it on the targeted anatomy. The adjustment limits the radiation dose required to capture images and subse- quent radiation scatter. 2 Wear protective equipment The maximum annual dosage limits for radiation exposure are 20 mSv for the body, 150 mSv for the thyroid and eyes, and 500 mSv for the hands, according to the International Commission on Radiological Protection. The importance of wearing gear that protects against radiation exposure might seem obvious, but personal protective equipment, from eyewear to gloves to thyroid protection, is often overlooked and underused. • Lead aprons. Make sure aprons have a lead-equivalent thickness of at least 0.5 mm, which protects wearers from 95% of scattered radiation. One-piece aprons can offer frontal or wrap-around protection, but two-piece vest-skirt combinations better distribute the weight of the garments and might be more comfortable to wear. Inspect lead aprons annually for cracks and general wear

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