Surgical Plume... needing hard-evidence of it's harmful effects

Specialties Operating Room

Published

I need some hard evidence showing the harmful effects of surgical plume in the OR. Our visiting surgeons are happy to use smoke evacuator cautery, but our local docs WILL NOT use it unless we come up with some 'hard-evidence' as to it's negative effects. So far myself and several colleagues have been on the hunt for something useful, but haven't come up with anything incriminating, or recent! So frustrating because our OR gets so full of smoke sometimes it seeps into the halls and to the recovery room! (it's a small facility). Please help.

Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

http://www.aorn.org/docs/assets/F4701E33-1871-EBA3-882469F41FDE1158/June%2007%20Connections.pdf (look on page 16)

Also, if you have access to the AORN journal, in December 2007, you will find this article: Risks Associated with Exposure to Surgical Smoke Plume: A Review of the Literature. Even if you aren't a member, you can probably pay for it.

Also, try using electrocautery smoke when you search- I found more results that way.

Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

It is a MUST when doing condyloma removal! EWWW!

Thanks so much everyone for your links. I'll check them out!

Specializes in Surgery.

I know this is an old post, but if you still need information on surgical smoke, This is what I do. I am an educator for a smoke evacuation company and former OR nurse for 23 years

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