Radiation exposure during minimally invasive oblique lateral lumbar interbody fusion with dual C-arm intraoperative imaging met safety standards, according to an Oct. 20 study in Cureus.
Five notes:
1. The study measured radiation exposure from 121 surgeries over 12 months across four locations. Average radiation exposure per surgery and variations across the sites were measured.
2. There was an average radiation emission of 198.78 milligray per surgery, and the surgeon received about 0.06 millisieverts of radiation per surgery.
3. Cumulative doses for the surgeon were below the safety thresholds set by European and American standards.
4. The average operating time for the surgeries was 60 minutes, and the median operating time was 54 minutes.
5. The study concluded that with protective measures, "the OLLIF technique can be performed safely with respect to radiation exposure to the surgeon and operating room staff. This contributes to the broader understanding of occupational safety in innovative surgical practices and may influence the development of new guidelines and protective strategies in the field of spinal surgery."