Radiation protection for your hands

• Published in: Injury Vol. 36; no. 12; pp. 1416 - 1420
• Main Authors: Back, D.L., Hilton, A.I., Briggs, T.W.R., Scott, J., Burns, M., Warren, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Anesthesia; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Biological effects of radiation; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General anesthesia. Technics. Complications. Neuromuscular blocking. Premedication. Surgical preparation. Sedation; Glove; Gloves, Protective; Gloves, Surgical; Humans; Medical sciences; Occupational Diseases - prevention & control; Occupational Exposure - prevention & control; Orthopedics; Prospective Studies; Radiation; Radiation Injuries - prevention & control; Radiation Protection - instrumentation; Radiation Protection - methods; Radiographic Image Enhancement; Radioprotection; Scattering, Radiation; Thermoluminescent Dosimetry; Tissues, organs and organisms biophysics; User-friendly; Glove; Radiation; User-friendly; User; Low dose; X ray; Hand; Radioprotection; Surgeon; Radiation dose; Ionizing radiation; Radiobiology; Anesthesia; Clinical trial; Dosimetry
• ISSN: 0020-1383; 1879-0267
• DOI: 10.1016/j.injury.2004.09.024

A prospective clinical trial was performed to assess the suitability of a new type of sterilisable, user-friendly radiation protection glove. In a preliminary trial, we showed that the dominant hand of the primary operating orthopaedic surgeon receives the highest dose of radiation. During a 4-month period, 98 procedures were done requiring the use of an image intensifier. The doses of radiation to the dominant hand of the operating surgeon were reduced to less than the doses of radiation to the non-dominant hand. The glove was sterilisable, user-friendly and accepted by the majority of surgeons. It offers greater than 90% attenuation of X-rays and is superior to all other scatter gloves on the market.