Surgical smoke evacuation practices
Surgical smoke is a danger to the operating room staff, surgeons and patients. Surgical smoke arises from the cauterization of tissues in the operative field. The surgical smoke plume contains a number of chemicals and potentially carcinogenic materials, putting the immediate surgical staff at risk. This section will provide resources for the identification of procedures generating surgical smoke, the potential impact of inhalation of surgical smoke and the evidence-based recommendations for reducing surgical smoke in the OR.
Journey to Zero Roadmap to Smoke-Free
Learning objectives
- Identify the hazards of surgical smoke plume in the operating room (OR)
- Identify the significance of education and annual staff competency
- Recognize gaps and opportunities to remove surgical smoke plume from the OR
- State barriers to smoke evacuation compliance in the OR
Protecting the air you breathe
O.R. Safety Series
Learning objectives
- What is in the air we breathe?
- List the standards that guide hospital air quality
- Describe the role of infection prevention and control in hospital air quality and filtration
- List the current recommendations for treatment of hospital air and prevention of cross contamination
Surgical smoke
Learning objectives
- Describe the implications of inhalation of surgical smoke
- Discuss the different types of energy generated in the O.R.
- List the current governmental regulations, clinical guidelines and best practices for removal of surgical smoke in the operating room
- Describe the technology available for surgical smoke evacuation
28996