Protection of the rat lung from the harmful effects of laser smoke

Abstract

Fourteen Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to CO2 laser exhaust that had first passed through smoke-evacuator filters. Six rats breathed laser vapors that were filtered through commercially available, standard production model smoke-evacuator systems. These animals demonstrated pulmonary lesions identical to but qualitatively less severe than those observed in animals breathing unfiltered vapor. Six additional rats were protected by the interposition of a cartridge filter plus an ultra-low penetration air filter, which trapped 0.1 micron particles; the microscopic sections of the lungs of these experimental rats and two control rats were similar in appearance, i.e., no pathological changes were observed.

Surgical smoke: a review of the literature

“…It has been clearly shown that laboratory rats develop pulmonary congestion and lung abnormalities when exposed to a relatively large quantity of surgical smoke [39]. Specifically, it has been shown that surgical smoke can induce acute and chronic inflammatory changes, including alveolar congestion, interstitial pneumonia, bronchiolitis, and emphysematous changes in the respiratory tract [40,41].…”

Operating room nursing and lung cancer risk in a cohort of female registered nurses

“…Other laboratory studies have demonstrated that smoke from both electrocautery and laser surgery is mutagenic to certain strains of Salmonella typhimurium (16,17). Animal studies have shown that repeated exposure to high levels of surgical smoke can induce inflammatory pulmonary changes, including emphysema and bronchiolitis (18)(19)(20)(21). Despite these laboratory and animal data, there are no population-based studies available to suggest whether or not repeated exposure to surgical smoke can induce carcinogenesis or chronic inflammation in humans.…”

“…Laboratory and animal studies indicate that surgical smoke has mutagenic potential and can induce inflammatory pulmonary changes in animals after repeated exposure (16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21). On the basis of an in vitro assay, Tomita et al (16) estimated that the smoke produced during laser irradiation or electrocauterization of 1 gram of tissue is equivalent to three to six cigarettes in mutagenic potential.…”

Patient Safety in the Operating Room

“…28 Studies have demonstrated that the particulate matter generated can cause pathological damage when deposited in mammalian lungs. 29,30 Currently, there are no mandates for control of surgical smoke. Specific recommendations published by the Association of PeriOperative Registered Nurses include using a combination of general room and local exhaust Volume 130, Number 5 • Operating Room Safety II ventilation.…”