A comparative study of radiation dose and screening time between mini C-arm and standard fluoroscopy in elective foot and ankle surgery.

BACKGROUND Mini C-arm devices have gained popularity in extremity surgery. There is little evidence of the benefits of this technique in the clinical setting of foot and ankle surgery. We used dose area product (DAP) to compare radiation usage between mini C-arm and standard fluoroscopy. METHODS We prospectively reviewed 127 cases requiring intra-operative screening during elective foot and ankle surgery. RESULTS Mini C-arm was used in 55 patients and standard fluoroscopy in 72 patients. There was a statistically significant reduction in mean DAP using the mini C-arm, 3.46 Gy cm² vs 7.43 Gy cm² (P=0.0013). There was no difference in screening time. The annual saving from using the mini C-arm could be £9391, saving the total cost of the device over 5 years. CONCLUSION The mini C-arm reduces radiation risk and costs when compared to standard fluoroscopy. We recommend its regular use in foot and ankle surgery.