Study Summary

Twenty children (mean age 6.7 years) with Gartland type III supracondylar humerus fractures were randomized to surgery using either a uniplanar (inverted) C-arm configuration or a biplanar configuration. Five senior surgeons each performed four cases, two using each configuration. Dosimeters were placed on the surgeon’s wrist (direct radiation), neck, and waist (scatter). The primary outcomes were radiation exposure at each site. Secondary outcomes included fluoroscopy exposure time and total operative time. Overall, the results of the study revealed that the uniplanar (inverted) configuration produced significantly longer fluoroscopy exposure times, whereas the biplanar configuration resulted in significantly longer operative durations. Waist and wrist radiation did not differ between groups. These findings indicate that surgeon radiation exposure—especially to the neck—can be reduced by using a biplanar configuration.