Reduction of Surgical Smoke in the Operating Room

Abstract

In the operating room, the surgical team faces a wide range of occupational hazards, one of which is the exposure to surgical smoke. The team is regularly exposed to surgical smoke that is generated by the thermal destruction of tissue from the use of electrocautery or heat-generating devices. There has been a growing interest in the potential health hazard that exposure to surgical smoke poses, subsequently generating the need for a more robust safety practice by the surgical team. The necessity to gather evidence to support the implementation of strategies that promote adoption of a smoke-free operating room is the aim of this research. Exposure to surgical fumes can potentially have a detrimental impact on an individual's personal and professional life; thus, it is important to take measures to reduce the risk.