Experimental study of surgical smoke and its control

Details

• Personal Author:
  Bowers J ; Burns D ; Harper M ; LeBouf, Ryan F. ; Lee T ; Novak D ; Soo J
• Description:
  Objective: To evaluate airborne particulates and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from surgical smoke in an experimental settings when the local exhaust ventilation (LEV) system is present or absent. Methods: Airborne particles and VOCs were collected for 45 minutes in four different experimental settings: 1) background (without any activity), 2) smoke generation without LEV utilization, 3) smoke generation with LEV control (wall irrigation suction unit with an in-line ultra-low penetration air (ULPA) filter positioned between the wall suction and suction canisters), and 4) smoke generation with LEV control (smoke evacuation system (PlumeSafe Turbo) installed a four-stages filter including charcoal and ULPA filters). Surgical smoke was generated from excised human tissues in unoccupied operating rooms using an electrocautery surgical device for 15 minutes. Flow rate of both LEVs was approximately 35 l min-1 (normal setting at the hospital) and suction was maintained within 2 inches of generation point. A total of 4 experiments were carried out. Particle number and mass concentrations were measured in real time with direct reading instruments including a Condensation Particle Counter (CPC), a DustTrak, a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS), an Aerodynamic Particle Sizer (APS) and a BioTrak. VOCs from the surgical smoke were collected using evacuated canisters both area and personal samples (from experimental personnel) following NIOSH draft canister method for VOCs in air. The canister samples were analyzed using a pre-concentrator and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry system. Results: The average particle number concentrations of background, without LEV, wall suction and smoke evacuation system measured with the CPC were 300, 9000, 2300 and 1500 particles cm-3, respectively. The average particle mass concentrations of background, without LEV, wall suction and smoke evacuation system measured with the DustTrak were 3, 24, 8 and 3 ug m-3, respectively. Count median particle diameters from the SMPS measurements were found at 84 nm (background), 90 nm (without LEV), 81 nm (wall suction unit) and 29 nm (smoke evacuation system). Particle number concentration from the SMPS were close to the concentrations from the CPC in all experimental settings. Particle number concentration in particle size > 0.5 um including viable particles were not large (< 200 cm-3) in all experimental settings. Ethanol and isopropyl alcohol were dominant VOCs from all canister samples. Acetaldehyde, acetone, acetonitrile, benzene, hexane, styrene and toluene were detected in grab samples but their concentrations were in low range (< 100 ppb). Conclusions: Utilization of the LEVs for surgical smoke control can reduce possible exposure to healthcare workers in operating rooms but airborne ultrafine particles still remain. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Acetone Air Pollutants, Occupational Benzene Dust Ethanol Health Personnel Hexanes Occupational Health Particulate Matter Safety Styrene Toluene Ventilation Volatile Organic Compounds Workplace

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• Keywords:
  Acetaldehyde Acetonitrile Airborne Particles Airborne Particulates Benzenes Dusts Ethanols Exhaust Ventilation Filters Health Care Personnel Isopropyl Alcohol Organic Compounds Particulates Sampling Smoke Control Surgery Toluenes VOCs Volatile Organic Compounds Work Environment Workers

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• Publisher:
  American Industrial Hygiene Association
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; OSHA Region 3 ; Pennsylvania ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  HELD - Health Effects Laboratory Division ; NPPTL - National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  7
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20048249
• Citation:
  AIHce 2016: American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition Pathways to Progress, May 21-26, 2016, Baltimore, Maryland. Falls Church, VA: American Industrial Hygiene Association, 2016 May; :7
• CAS Registry Number:
  Acetaldehyde (CAS RN 75-07-0) ; Acetone (CAS RN 67-64-1) ; Acetonitrile (CAS RN 75-05-8) ; Benzene (CAS RN 71-43-2) ; Ethanol (CAS RN 64-17-5) ; Hexane (CAS RN 110-54-3) ; Isopropanol (CAS RN 67-63-0) ; Styrene (CAS RN 100-42-5) ; Toluene (CAS RN 108-88-3)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2016
• NORA Priority Area:
  Healthcare and Social Assistance
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  AIHce 2016: American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition Pathways to Progress, May 21-26, 2016, Baltimore, Maryland
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:f12082ec87aeabd6033e94b7f5fd93f85a8dc9f00ca54fd0cb460e0802462392ee6f6d20be70952e58c42eec239efe9c6a9cf72a11bbaef32e9faa92c851223d
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/203054/cdc_203054_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.51 MB ]