[ RadSafe ] Fluoroscopy exposure question

[JPreisig at aol.com]

Hi,
 
     I would get my Mother to go see a real Back  surgeon.  Soon.
 
     Joe Preisig
 
 
 
 
In a message dated 7/26/2012 12:46:46 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
slgawarecki at gmail.com writes:

Hi  All,

I have an actual technical radiation safety question.  My  mother has had
two facet joint injection procedures to treat her chronic  back pain.  Facet
joints are the small joints located between each  vertebra, and a painful
syndrome can develop when one or more becomes  inflamed or irritated from
arthritis or other causes.  The injection  of a local anesthetic and a
corticosteroid anti-inflammatory medicine is  guided by fluoroscopy.  This
can be repeated every two months.   She is contemplating another procedure
called radiofrequency neurotomy,  which interrupts the nerves to the facet
joint by thermal denervation using  a radiofrequency probe, again guided
using a fluoroscope.  This  procedure has a longer-lasting effect.  Both
procedures are performed  on an outpatient basis.  The facet joint
injections take 20 to 30  minutes, and the radiofrequency neurotomy takes 30
to 60 minutes.  The  patient is then observed for 45 minutes of initial
recovery.

Does  anyone know the typical radiation exposures associated with  these
procedures?  What questions should she be asking about the use  of the
fluoroscope?

Thanks in advance for any  information.

Susan  Gawarecki
_______________________________________________
You are  currently subscribed to the RadSafe mailing list

Before posting a  message to RadSafe be sure to have read and understood 
the RadSafe rules.  These can be found at: 
http://health.phys.iit.edu/radsaferules.html

For  information on how to subscribe or unsubscribe and other settings 
visit:  http://health.phys.iit.edu