CDC STACKS serves as an archival repository of CDC-published products including scientific findings, journal articles, guidelines, recommendations, or other public health information authored or co-authored by CDC or funded partners.
As a repository, CDC STACKS retains documents in their original published format to ensure public access to scientific information.
i
Evaluation of Waste Anesthetic Gas Exposure at a Veterinary Hospital
-
2024/05/01
-
Source: Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, HHE 2022-0032-3399, 2024 May; :1-51
[PDF-1.10 MB]
Details:
-
Personal Author:
-
Corporate Authors:
-
Description:Request: In February 2022, employees at a veterinary hospital requested the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to conduct a health hazard evaluation because they were concerned about waste anesthetic gas exposure (WAG) and possible health effects. The requestors wanted to better understand their exposure to WAGs and learn how to protect themselves. Halogenated anesthetic agents (vapors) including isoflurane and sevoflurane are used during anesthesia procedures in veterinary hospitals. Anesthesia gases and vapors that are released or leak into the surrounding environment during anesthesia procedures, including dental or surgical procedures, are called WAGs. Epidemiologic studies have shown that WAG exposure is associated with nausea, dizziness, headache, fatigue, irritability, drowsiness, and difficulties with judgement and coordination. Chronic WAG exposure has been linked to health effects including miscarriages, genetic damage, birth defects, cancer, and liver and kidney disease. Workplace: The veterinary hospital was located in a commercial building and open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The veterinary hospital had a reception area, pharmacy area, four examination rooms, treatment area, isolation room, surgery suite, radiology area, and laundry and storage area. Anesthesia procedures were performed daily in the surgery suite or treatment area which had two dental tables. Patients (animals) recovered from anesthesia in kennels located in the treatment room. In general, anesthesia procedures involved the following steps: Inducing anesthesia; Maintaining anesthesia with sevoflurane, the only anesthetic gas used at this facility; Conducting dental or surgical procedures; Patient monitoring during anesthesia recovery. This veterinary hospital used an active scavenger system which reduces WAG exposure by actively pulling gases and vapors away from the anesthesia machine and exhausting them using a vacuum system during anesthesia procedures. A connector for the active scavenger system was located at each dental table in the treatment room and one near the surgery table in the surgery suite, for a total of three scavenger system connection points. Our Approach: During July 2022, we spent three days at the veterinary hospital. During the visit, our primary objectives were to assess: Work practices; Indoor ventilation; Operation and maintenance of WAG scavenger systems; Employee exposure to WAG (i.e., sevoflurane); Area sevoflurane concentrations in the air throughout the veterinary hospital; Employee health concerns related to WAG. Our Key Findings: 1) Personal air-sampling indicated employees were exposed to sevoflurane concentrations below occupational exposure limits (OELs) for WAGs. 2) Certain anesthesia procedure tasks can result in high peak exposures to WAG. If peak (high) exposures occur multiple times during a shift, employees could potentially be exposed to concentrations of sevoflurane above OELs. 3) High sevoflurane concentrations were exhaled by a patient during recovery from anesthesia. 4) Employees reported different timing of endotracheal cuff inflation and when to turn on the sevoflurane vaporizer that can be a source of WAG exposure. Our Recommendations: Recommendation 1: Continue to properly maintain and inspect anesthesia machines and WAG scavenger systems to minimize leaks and keep records. Recommendation 2: Discontinue use of anesthesia chamber box made from a modified plastic container. Recommendation 3: Ensure the surgery suite and treatment room are properly ventilated. Recommendation 4: Ensure employees understand the hazards associated with working with sevoflurane and how to protect themselves from exposure to it. Recommendation 5: Encourage employees that are planning on becoming pregnant or are currently pregnant to share the sevoflurane safety data sheet (SDS) and this report with their healthcare providers. Recommendation 6: Provide appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for employees to use when filling the sevoflurane vaporizer and continue to use the sevoflurane anti-spill pour spout to prevent spillage of sevoflurane when filling the vaporizer.
-
Subjects:
-
Keywords:
-
Source:
-
Series:
-
DOI:
-
Publisher:
-
Document Type:
-
Genre:
-
Place as Subject:
-
CIO:
-
Division:
-
Topic:
-
Location:
-
Pages in Document:51 pdf pages
-
Contributor:Alexander, Talia;Street, Melanie;Tift, Brian;
-
NIOSHTIC Number:20070112
-
Citation:NIOSH [2024]. Evaluation of waste anesthetic gas exposures at a veterinary hospital. By Tomasi S,;Lee E, Kobos L. Morgantown, WV: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for;Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Health Hazard Evaluation Report 0200-0032-3399,;
-
CAS Registry Number:
-
Federal Fiscal Year:2024
-
Peer Reviewed:False
-
NAICS and SIC Codes:
-
Resource Number:HHE-2022-0032-3399
-
Collection(s):
-
Main Document Checksum:
-
Download URL:
-
File Type:
