The Application of a Surgery Supporting Computer System Does Not Seem to Influence the Surgeons' Radiation Exposure: A Retrospective Analysis.

Abstract

Since 2019, a surgery supporting system (SPM, surgical process manager; Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, New Jersey, Vereinigte Staaten) has been used in a Level I trauma center for common trauma surgery procedures (distal radius fractures, proximal femur fractures, ankle fractures, proximal humerus fractures, and spine fractures). The hypothesis of this study was that implementing standardized procedures (by using SPM) may reduce radiation exposure, especially for unexperienced surgeons.Workflows were developed for different surgical procedures (distal radius fractures, proximal femur fractures, ankle fractures, proximal humerus fractures, and spine fractures) and added into the SPM. Between October 2019 and June 2022, 90 surgeries using the SPM were included in the study. A control group was included with 107 surgeries using the same surgical technique. The values measured were the radiation exposure during the surgical procedure, the experience of the head surgeon, and whether or not the SPM was used. A statistical analysis was performed by using the chi square and Fischer exact tests, with significance set at a p value < 0.05.SPM was applicated in 51 cases for the distal radius (control group 54 patients), 20 cases for distal fibula fractures (control group 21 patients), 9 cases for the proximal femur (control group 19 patients), 5 cases for vertebral fractures (control group 7 patients), and 5 cases for the proximal humerus (control group 6 patients). No difference concerning the median radiation exposure was observed by plating distal radius fractures with 5.7 Gy/cm² in the SPM group and a median radiation exposure of 6.4 Gy/cm² in the control group (p = 0.96). The distal fibula fractures showed no significant difference in the intraoperative radiation (17.4 Gy/cm² vs. 6.4 Gy/cm², p value 0.53). Radiation exposure was lower when a consultant performed surgery without showing any significance, independent if SPM was used or not.In this study, no significant difference in the intraoperative radiation dose was observed when using a surgery supporting computer system. The experience of the surgeon showed no influence as well, regardless if SPM was used or not. Additional data should be collected questioning these findings.