Can computer-assisted surgery reduce the effective dose for spinal fusion and sacroiliac screw insertion?

Background: The increasing use of fluoroscopy-based surgical procedures and the associated exposure to radiation raise questions regarding potential risks for patients and operating room personnel. Computer-assisted technologies can help to reduce the emission of radiation; the effect on the patient's dose for the three-dimensional (3-D)-based technologies has not yet been evaluated.

Questions/purposes: We determined the effective and organ dose in dorsal spinal fusion and percutaneous transsacral screw stabilization during conventional fluoroscopy-assisted and computer-navigated procedures.