Reducing Radiation Exposure In The EP Lab

This month, Vijay Swarup, MD, FHRS from Arizona Heart Hospital describes his use of the CartoUnivu Module to decrease fluoroscopy use in the EP lab. He has been using the CartoUnivu Module in their lab for approximately three months. The CartoUnivu Module is a new technology that integrates the Carto 3 mapping system with the fluoroscopic image or cine. Dr. Swarup uses the CartoUnivu Module for all atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia cases at Arizona Heart Hospital, which is about 50 percent of their ablation procedures. With the use of the CartoUnivu Module, the average procedural fluoroscopy time during AF ablation has also been reduced to an average of 15-20 minutes.

There is increasing concern regarding the amount of radiation exposure during medical imaging and interventional procedures in the medical world. All who work in hospital radiation environments must make a commitment to the safer use of radiation. Important guidelines and regulations have been put into place to minimize workplace exposure, and there are other numerous ways healthcare facilities and lab staff can make radiation safety improvements. Here are just a few of the recent articles in EP Lab Digest® that provide further strategies on reducing radiation exposure for the EP operator, staff, and patient:

• Impact of MediGuide Technology on Radiation Exposure in Radiofrequency Ablation Procedures

• Electrophysiology Procedures Without Radiation in the Pediatric Population

• The Importance of Radiation Safety for Healthcare Workers as Well as Patients

• A New Option Against Radiation Exposure: Dr. Xiaoke Liu Discusses His Use of the ZeroGravity Radiation Protection System

• Reducing Radiation Exposure in the EP Lab: Interview with Dr. Roderick Tung