IONIZING RADIATION

Ionizing Radiation Protection within the Perioperative Setting

Ionizing Radiation Protection within the Perioperative Setting

Introduction

Perioperative care is the care that is granted ahead of, during and after surgery is performed. It can be carried out within hospitals, within surgical centers that are associated with hospitals, within external and independent surgical centers or health care providers' offices (Vaeth, 1996). This period is generally meant for preparing the patient both physically and psychologically for surgical arrangement in order to carry out effective surgery. For emergent surgeries this period can be short and even somewhat spontaneous for the patient in cases where the surgery is being carried out on elective grounds (Hayat, 2007). In contrast, preoperative processes can also be extremely lengthy and time-consuming. Information that is collected and recorded during the preoperative phase is generally considered to be highly significant in cases where the patient's medical record plays a role in the surgery and in post-surgery treatment.

Literature Analysis

Perioperative settings frequently involve the presence of ionizing radiations. This generally occurs because of the fact that a vast majority of modern day equipment generally makes use of electromagnetic rays (Cox & Ang, 2003). In addition, the relevance of the protection of ionization radiation becomes significant on account of the presence of already sick and/or ailing individuals in the hospital. Patients can be expected to have wounds and bruises that may react to contamination by the ionizing radiation emitted by radioactive material (Halperin, Perez, & Brady, 2008). The sensitivity to such contaminations increases in the Perioperative phase; and as a result, it becomes essential to take steps to take precautionary measures to protect patients from ionizing radiation within the Perioperative setting.

Exposure to ionizing radiation is often considered and perceived as a risk factor that is related to the development of cancer. Numerous epidemiological studies have been carried out alongside experimental studies in order to ascertain the degree to which the exposure to ionization radiation and the incidence of cancer are related. There is little doubt that different organs respond to ionization radiation differently on account of the differences that exist between varying tissue types.

Using X-ray and radioactive materials in science, medicine and industry have led to the recognition, as evidenced by reports of radiation burns, radiation exposure, while useful for diagnosis and treatment of the disease can also be detrimental and protective measures have been taken to limit exposure. Took a little over the carcinogenic effect of ionizing radiation to be recognized, but now the relationship between radiation dose and risk of cancer is well characterized and well quantified, probably more than any other carcinogen common environment (Halperin, Perez, & Brady, 2008). This is due to the important work in radiation physics and radiation biology and medicine has led to an understanding of the relationship between exposure to radiation, which is the energy that affects an organism, and radiation dose, which is the amount per unit mass absorbed by a piece of fabric chosen (Meyer, 2001Therefore, the radiation dose is relatively easy to estimate compared with a ...