Occupational noise levels in orthopaedic surgery

Mullett, H; Synnott, Keith; Quinlan, W.

doi:10.1007/bf02946475

Cited by 21 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…8 A separate study across 10 different surgeries found noise levels ranging from 71 dBA to 95 dBA during use of drills for orthopedic surgeries. [10][11][12] Surgical procedures in which these instruments are used, such as craniotomies and orthopedic surgeries, can last many hours, potentially exposing surgical staff members to long periods of noise. 9 Several other noise researchers have found noise levels during the use of surgical instruments (eg, drills, saws) exceeding 90 dBA.…”

Section: Results and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Potential Noise Exposures in Hospital Operating Rooms

Chen¹,

Brueck²,

Niemeier³

2012

AORN Journal

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The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health received a health hazard evaluation request from West Virginia University Hospital, Morgantown, to evaluate noise exposures from surgical instruments in the OR. Four surgical technologists, four RNs, and one surgeon wore noise dosimeters to measure full-shift personal noise exposures during two days while they performed typical daily activities. Measurements did not exceed Occupational Safety and Health Administration or National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health noise exposure limits; however, area sound level measurements indicated that some intermittent activities can generate sound levels above 90 A-weighted decibels. Examples include surgery preparation, drilling or noise from other powered surgical instruments during surgeries, and clean up. Preventive maintenance of powered surgical instruments can reduce noise exposures, and noise output should be considered when selecting replacement instruments. Keeping music at a low level and using hearing protection are other interventions to consider to improve noise levels in an OR.

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Section: Results and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of Potential Noise Exposures in Hospital Operating Rooms

Chen¹,

Brueck²,

Niemeier³

2012

AORN Journal

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“…Within healthcare settings, high environmental noise in hospitals may be responsible for abnormal hearing among healthcare workers, 3,4 while the orthopaedic staff experienced the highest prevalence of hearing-associated problems, due to highpowered tools in orthopaedic theatres. [5][6][7][8][9][10] In the 1960s, environmental noise produced in dental healthcare settings was considered responsible for HI in the dental staff. [11][12][13] However in almost all previous studies dentists did not experience higher HI risk than the general population.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

General dental practitioners and hearing impairment

Messano

Petti

2012

Journal of Dentistry

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“…͑A recent paper by Busch-Vishniac et al 3 presents an extensive review of the hospital noise literature.͒ Within hospitals, there is growing concern about noise in the operating theaters, but the literature on this topic is generally thin and often conflicting. The literature varies from editorials railing against noise in the operating room ͑OR͒ 4,5 to studies of the noise produced by tools used primarily in orthopedic surgery [6][7][8] and to reports of the sound pressure levels produced by a particular surgery. While rare, there are also a few reports of the effects of OR noise on performance and hearing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Noise in the operating rooms of Johns Hopkins Hospital

Kracht

Busch‐Vishniac²,

West³

2007

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

110

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Very little reliable information exists on the sound levels present in an operating room environment. To remedy this situation, sound pressure levels of the operating rooms in Johns Hopkins Hospital were monitored before, during, and after operations. The data were analyzed to determine background sound levels, average equivalent sound levels L(eq), frequency distribution, and peak sound pressure levels L(peak). Each surgery was matched to the period of noise it produced permitting the association of sound levels with particular types of surgeries and the determination of various sound measures for classes of surgery (e.g., orthopedic, neurological, etc.). Averaging over many surgeries, orthopedic surgery was found to have the highest L(eq) at approximately 66 dB(A). Neurosurgery, urology, cardiology, and gastrointestinal surgery followed closely, ranging from 62 to 65 dB(A). By considering the L(peak) along with the L(eq) values, a pattern emerges for the various surgical divisions. Gastrointestinal and thoracic surgery are relatively quiet among the surgical divisions. Neurosurgery and orthopedics have sustained high sound levels. Cardiology surgery has a more moderate average sound level but includes brief periods of extremely high peak sound levels. For neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery, peak levels exceeded 100 dB over 40% of the time. The highest peak levels routinely seen during surgery were well in excess of 120 dB.

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Occupational noise levels in orthopaedic surgery

Cited by 21 publications

References 3 publications

Evaluation of Potential Noise Exposures in Hospital Operating Rooms

Evaluation of Potential Noise Exposures in Hospital Operating Rooms

General dental practitioners and hearing impairment

Noise in the operating rooms of Johns Hopkins Hospital

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