Radiation exposure of the eye lens in orthopedics and trauma surgery : Apilot study

Abstract

On 27 June 2017 the Act on new regulation of the law for the protection against the harmful effects of ionizing radiation was passed. One of the main innovations in daily surgical practice in the now legally stipulated provisions is the lowering of the eye lens dose to 20 mSv/year (§§78, 212 Radiation Protection Act, StrlSchG). To estimate the level of exposure of the eye lens to ionizing radiation that is to be expected in the course of surgical interventions, the dose that surgeons receive during surgery was determined. For this, the radiation exposure adjacent to the eye lens was measured using aforehead dosimeter while performing surgical interventions over aperiod of 8weeks in 2 different operating rooms. As aresult, amean estimated eye lens radiation dose Hp (3) of 190 µSv could be determined during the 2‑month study period. Thus, the estimated cumulative radiation dose in 1 year of approximately 1.2 mSv was significantly below the threshold of 20 mSv/year. By complying with the common radiation protection measures in the context of operative interventions in orthopedics and trauma surgery, the legal limit value of 20 mSv/year is generally not expected to be exceeded.