Measurement and Control of Surgical Smoke to Enhance Surgical Team Safety
10.3346/jkms.2022.37.e273
- Author:
Hyoun Jong MOON
1
;
Wang Jun LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Surgery, Myongji Hospital, Goyang, Korea
- Publication Type:Brief Communication
- From:Journal of Korean Medical Science
2022;37(36):e273-
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Amid the coronavirus disease 2019 era, concern about the safety of surgical teams related to surgical smoke (SS) is rising. As simple ventilation improvement methods (SVIMs), we replaced 4 of the 8 supply diffusers with a direction-adjustable louver-type, closed 2 of the 4 exhaust grills, and strengthened the sealing of the doorway. Dynamic changes in the concentration of particulate matter (PM) with sizes of < 1.0 μm (PM1.0) were measured using low-cost PM meters (LCPMs) at eight locations in the operating room (OR). SS concentration up to 4 minutes at the location of the surgeon, first assistant, and scrub nurse before and after SVIMs application decreased from 65.4, 38.2, 35.7 µg/m 3 to 9.5, 0.1 and 0.7 µg/m 3 respectively. A similar decrease was observed in the other 5 locations. SVIMs could effectively control SS and the LCPM was also effective in measuring SS in the OR or other spaces of the hospital.
