Assessment of the absorbed dose after exposure to surgical smoke in an operating room

Abstract

We would like to thank the technical staff of the laboratory of the KU Leuven for all analysis and the students in the master of Epidemiology (UAntwerpen), Solomon Wfula, Hassard Sempeera and Innocent Mugume for the statistical support. We express our gratitude to the entire medical staff that participated in the study.

Experimental study on the exposure level of surgical staff to SARS-CoV-2 in operating rooms with mixing ventilation under negative pressure

“…In this study, we observed that pollutant exposure levels of the assistant surgeon were much higher than those of other medical staff, despite the proximity of the assistant surgeon to the main surgeon. Previous studies of smoke from laparoscopic surgery have also pointed to high levels of assistant surgeon exposure to smoke from patients' wounds [ 58 ]. Field measurements by et al at St. Olav Hospital also found that assistant surgeons were significantly more sensitive to particulate matter of various sizes during certain surgeries than other medical staff [ 59 ].…”

Surgical Smoke and Biological Symptoms in Healthcare Professionals and Patients: A Systematic Review

“…3,4,11,12 There was also evidence of histopathological changes in the nasal mucosa of healthcare professionals, 5 and changes in the blood count of neutrophils and lymphocytes. 17 The presence of benzene and toluene in the urine was observed 1,18 regarding organic absorption of toxic substances identified in surgical smoke by patients and healthcare professionals, or even increased exposure levels to formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. 6 The main signs and symptoms identified and their frequency of appearance in the studies which compose the present review are shown in Table 5.…”

“…Surgical smoke can be seen and its odor is smelled, being composed of 95% water vapor and 5% by products of combustion and cellular waste. 1 This waste includes chemical compounds such as benzene and toluene, and biological materials such as blood particles, viruses, bacteria, mutagenic and cytotoxic agents in aerosols. 2 The amounts and composition of by products can vary according to the type of surgery, target tissue and technique used by the surgeon, and exposure to these compounds can cause cumulative damage to the health of patients and healthcare professionals.…”

“…Even though the dangers of exposure to surgical smoke components and the presence of bioaerosols have been investigated since the 1960s, 6 there are few experimental studies which demonstrate the absorbed dose of chemical compounds present in surgical smoke by healthcare professionals and patients, or that perform biomonitoring of the urine of these individuals. 1 Thus, the theme presented in this review is relevant, as it has been a matter of concern and discussion by international institutions in different areas such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH); the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN); and the Joint Commission International (JCI) for directly interfering in professionals' health due to the risk of developing occupational respiratory diseases, as well as patient safety.…”

Surgical Smoke and Airborne Microbial Contamination in Operating Theatres: Influence of Ventilation and Surgical Phases

“…The efficiency of these ventilation principles in terms of contamination control and reduction of Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) has been questioned in several works paying attention only to the health risks for the patient [4,5,[50][51][52][53]. Few works have studied the influence of the ventilation system on the health risks for the medical team due to surgical smoke [16,17,24,54].…”