Occupational radiation dose during transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Abstract

This study provides hitherto unavailable data on the radiation exposure of staff during transfemoral and transapical TAVIs. Relatively high doses were observed in the transapical approach. The dose of the right hand of the cardiothoracic surgeon will reach the annual limit within about 250 procedures per year, implying that hand dose measurements should become standard and that the number of procedures performed by the cardiothoracic surgeon involving X-rays may have to be limited.