Radiation protection in vascular surgery

Vascular surgeons who perform endovascular procedures, belong to the group of physicians with the highest radiation exposure due to the significant increase in this type of intervention. One of the aims of radiation protection legislation is to regularly record this radiation exposure and to minimize it by using device and passive radiation protection. All persons who are regularly in the controlled area must wear official depth dosimeters. In addition, if organ doses are expected to be exceeded, surface dosimeters should also be worn. To avoid high radiation doses, adjustments on the X-ray device should be made by the examiner, such as frames per second rates and collimation. Passive radiation protection includes the application of the squared distance law, knowledge of radiation geometry and measures that serve as shielding against radiation, such as the use of radiation protective shielding above and below the table and personal protective aprons. Due to recent findings, special attention must be paid to protecting the lens of the eye. Permissible limit values have been reduced from 150mSv/year to 20mSv/year; however, these values can actually be achieved if all available protective measures are used.