An evaluation of fluoroscopic times and peak skin doses during radiofrequency catheter ablation and biventricular internal cardioverter defibrillator implant procedures.
Fluoroscopy-guided medical procedures are generally diagnostic in nature and involve low dose and minimal risk to the patient. However, an increasingly larger percentage of procedures offer a therapeutic benefit to the patient. Such interventional procedures are very often technically difficult, but offer a less-invasive alternative to higher-risk surgical procedures. Although infrequent, severe skin injury can result from these procedures that involve total fluoroscopy time in excess of 1 h. The purpose of this study was to evaluate fluoroscopy time and peak skin dose (PSD) for lengthy fluoroscopy procedures, and to determine the variables that may best predict PSD.
Taylor
J Bradford
JB
Department of Environment, Health and Safety, The University of North Carolina, CB# 1650, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-1650, USA. bradford_taylor@unc.edu
Selzman
Kimberly A
KA
D000328:Adult; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000601:surgery*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D012867:Skin / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013997:Time Factors