Audit of radiation doses during endovascular aneurysm repair

Purpose A common intervention for abdominal aortic aneurysm is endovascular aneurysm repair using x-ray guided fluoroscopy. Ionising radiation carries stochastic and deterministic health risks to patients. Therefore, it is beneficial to monitor radiation doses in endovascular aneurysm repair. This project aims to compare radiation doses for endovascular aneurysm repairs performed in 2014 and in 2021 at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust. Trends in screening times, and the effect of operator number on radiation dose and screening time were also investigated. Materials & methods 60 cases in 2014 and 44 cases in 2021 were included. Median radiation doses and screening times in 2014 and 2021 were calculated and analysed. The effect of operator number on screening times and radiation doses was also analysed. Results Median radiation dose was 46.45% higher in 2021 than in 2014. In 2014, median radiation dose was lower with two operators instead of one; in 2021 operator number had no significant effect on radiation dose. Median screening time was 29% longer in 2014. In 2021 screening times were found to increase with operator number, and procedures performed with four operators had the longest screening times in 2021. Conclusion Radiation doses in endovascular aneurysm repair have increased in 2021 from 2014 and may be the result of ageing equipment. Operator number influenced radiation doses and screening time in some instances and may be an area for further research with possible implications into procedure protocol for endovascular aneurysm repair.