Posts tagged 'radiationprotection'

Sterile Scatter Armor Shields are placed on top of the patient drape to block scatter radiation at the source, creating a scatter-free zone, reducing harmful radiation exposure to the doctor or clinician. These are one time use and are lead-free and disposable. They are packaged individually in sterile packets. They easily mold to the patient’s body for ease of use and for maximum protection.  Visit our website to view the different drape options available or email our customer service team at info@zzmedical.com .

Lightning 18” x 24” Half Apron with Hook and Loop Closure.

• Easy on/off convenience
• Comfortable, durable, patient friendly design
• Traditional hook and loop closures
• Wide two inch webbing straps
• Positive and secure closure
• Maximum patient protection
• Available in four colors for immediate shipping
• .5 mm Pb protection comes standard
• Standard Nylon Fabric

Buy Lightning Half Apron for only $88 at Z&Z Medical (zzmedical.com)

Scatter Radiation in the Cath Lab

During a typical procedure in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, radiation is deflected from the patient’s body and scattered to all areas of the lab. This scatter radiation is not only associated with skin damage and eye injury, but the low-dose radiation has been shown to increase the number of circulating lymphocytes and chromosomal abnormalities, increasing one’s risk of cancer. This phenomenon has been universally recognized and extensively documented, leading to the implementation of radiation protection techniques and equipment by all medical staff working in the vicinity of the patient. Although most personnel are routinely wearing X-ray protective garments, there is evidence that the incidence of radiation-related disease in long-serving Cath Lab staff is statistically higher than in non-Cath Lab staff. In order to combat this trend, one solution suggested is to routinely place radiation-protective shields over each patient, drastically reducing the amount of scatter radiation in the lab.

The Intensity of Scatter Radiation

Despite the use of protection, research published in the American Heart Association journal shows that attending cardiologists and other staff working in positions close to the patient are exposed to radiation that, over a working career, could be the equivalent of more than 2,500 chest X-rays. Other work shows that cardiologists’ necks and heads receive radiation doses of 2 to 3 rems per year. Interestingly, the lefthand side of the head receives more radiation than the right side, indicative of positions taken by cardiologists during procedures.

Health Risks

Although the level of scatter radiation is low, there is statistical evidence that indicates interventional cardiologists have almost three times the incidence of cancer compared to unexposed staff. This view is based on work conducted by the CNR Institute of Clinical Physiology in Pisa, Italy – interviewing 466 medical personnel working in Cath Labs. Furthermore, medical staff with more than 16 years of experience in Cath Labs were eight times more likely to have cancer than those who did not. The incidence of skin lesions, orthopedic problems, and cataracts was also higher.

Conventional Protective Measures

The standard methods of protecting Cath Lab staff from radiation exposure involve techniques such as keeping the team as far from the source of radiation as possible and using equipment such as lead or composite shields, supplemented in some instances by portable radiation shields. Although these measures are effective, it is nearly impossible for cardiologists to stand far enough away from the patient unless remote robotic methods are used.

Scatter Armor Radiation Protection

Scatter radiation occurs due to the targeted beam striking objects, such as the patient’s body, and reflecting a more harmful secondary radiation in all directions. One method of reducing the medical staff’s exposure to this dangerous scatter radiation is implementing Infab’s Scatter Armor Shields.  These shields are placed on the patient’s body and positioned to block scattered radiation in all Cath Lab procedures.

Although lead has been standard in the industry for years, the weight of lead-based shielding is somewhat impractical, and other alternatives have been explored. The KIARMOR bilayer is the perfect solution to this matter. KIARMOR is made from the elements bismuth and antimony, which are combined into a single bi­layer sheet. This innovative technology not only provides you with a lighter-weight alternative, but it is also more effective than equivalent lead-based shields. KIARMOR is lead-­free, and its shielding properties are such that it meets the requirements of the three international standards (ASTM F2547-18, IEC 61331-1:­2014, and DIN 6857­1-1) covering radiation protection. In addition, each Scatter Shield has KIARMOR at its core, making these shields the most effective option in reducing the amount of one’s exposure to scatter radiation in the Cath Lab.  Visit our website  Search results for: 'scatter armor' (zzmedical.com)    to purchase your Shields today!

*published with permission from INFAB

Z&Z Medical is proud to offer the NEW Exclusive NFL Collection of Oakley Radiation Protection Glasses. This is an official NFL licensed glasses collection showcasing all the favorite NFL team logo and team colors on the side. This collection is unique to those who work in any profession that has exposure to radiation. These frames have a classic square hipster shape and are extremely sporty with team color designs. Pick your team’s colors and logo out of our 32 color options for the Holbrook NFL Oakley frames. This lightweight frame material makes sure you can wear these radiation safety glasses comfortably all day long. These glasses offer high-quality, distortion-free SF-6 Schott Glass Radiation-reducing lenses with .75mm lead equivalency and a high quality polycarbonate durable frame. All football fans will appreciate these glasses.   

While working with radiation, your eyes are one of the most easily damaged and at-risk parts of your body. The lens of your eyes can be damaged irreversibly, even by the lowest doses of radiation. This damage often presents itself in the form of radiation induced cataracts. Having good eyesight is a necessity for those that work in the medical field or any segment involving radiation.   At Z&Z Medical, we are confident that we have a wide array of glasses to protect our customers from the harmful effects of radiation. Wearing these spirited frames makes you a true fan whose loyalty goes unquestioned.  Visit our website to Pick out Your Favorite Team Glasses. Radiation Glasses Oakley NFL Collection | Lead Glasses | Leaded Eyewear | Z&Z Medical, Inc. (zzmedical.com)

Have you ever started looking at Radiation Protection Glasses and then wondered – Which Glasses will give me the best fit?  We’ve gotten that question a few times and even created different groupings of glasses on our website for small faces, medium faces, large faces, and x-large faces. But we still get the question every once in awhile as to what puts the frame in which classification?  So hope this helps!

In general. the size of glasses should be based on the width of the glasses. In times past we have used only the eye size. If you measure your face, temple to temple, you’ll get your width, and in most cases can match that width with a pair of glasses width. The temple arm length is larger for the frames when the size of the frames go up

How to know the width of your glasses if it’s not indicated…Here is a simple formula that works great with glasses that are flat or straight across the front.   

Eye Size x 2, PLUS the bridge,  PLUS 4.5mm = width of frames in mm.