How much of bread and butter is done under the fluoroscope?

[Kahreek]

IRad and ICards have a bunch of x-ray exposure. How is ortho compared, do professionals have to keep track of dose?

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[medstudent EU]

There is a lot less exposure in ortho, due to the smaller exposure times. We usually don't need to film what we're doing, we can get away with just taking several images. For trauma, spine, long bone osteotomies you need fluoroscopy, but there is rarely a need for that in arthroscopy (barring hip), total joints and many things in foot & ankle and hand. Most basic trauma cases usually end up with a fluoro time of 2-10 seconds, compared to peripheral vascular with several minutes of fluoro time per case, although there are certainly instances where you get more rads (difficult reductions, interlocking screws etc).

 

[mimelim]

There is a lot less exposure in ortho, due to the smaller exposure times. We usually don't need to film what we're doing, we can get away with just taking several images. For trauma, spine, long bone osteotomies you need fluoroscopy, but there is rarely a need for that in arthroscopy (barring hip), total joints and many things in foot & ankle and hand. Most basic trauma cases usually end up with a fluoro time of 2-10 seconds, compared to peripheral vascular with several minutes of fluoro time per case, although there are certainly instances where you get more rads (difficult reductions, interlocking screws etc).

Did a case last Friday with 40+ minutes of fluoro. I was glowing afterwards...

Everyone working with radiation fields is required to wear a radiation badge, keep track of their monthly doses, meet with their radiation safety officer annually, etc. In reality, even in my field where we use a ton more fluoro, there are institutes that are fairly lax. You will find varying levels of seriousness when it comes to radiation safety. My uninformed guess is that ortho in general doesn't take it as seriously because it isn't necessarily a core part of the job. But, they are governed by the same regulatory bodies that we all are.

 

[pacman2018]

Did a case last Friday with 40+ minutes of fluoro. I was glowing afterwards...

Everyone working with radiation fields is required to wear a radiation badge, keep track of their monthly doses, meet with their radiation safety officer annually, etc. In reality, even in my field where we use a ton more fluoro, there are institutes that are fairly lax. You will find varying levels of seriousness when it comes to radiation safety. My uninformed guess is that ortho in general doesn't take it as seriously because it isn't necessarily a core part of the job. But, they are governed by the same regulatory bodies that we all are.

Can't wait for my vascular rotation... maybe I'll experience enough radiation to grow a third arm and become a super surgeon

 

[DoctwoB]

Did a case last Friday with 40+ minutes of fluoro. I was glowing afterwards...

Everyone working with radiation fields is required to wear a radiation badge, keep track of their monthly doses, meet with their radiation safety officer annually, etc. In reality, even in my field where we use a ton more fluoro, there are institutes that are fairly lax. You will find varying levels of seriousness when it comes to radiation safety. My uninformed guess is that ortho in general doesn't take it as seriously because it isn't necessarily a core part of the job. But, they are governed by the same regulatory bodies that we all are.