Characterization of aerosols produced by surgical procedures

Technical Report · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10185619· OSTI ID:10185619

Yeh, H C; Muggenburg, B A; Lundgren, D L; Guilmette, R A; Snipes, M B; Jones, R K ^[1]; Turner, R S ^[2]

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1. Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM (United States)
2. Lovelace Health Systems, Albuquerque, NM (United States)

In many surgeries, especially orthopedic procedures, power tools such as saws and drills are used. These tools may produce aerosolized blood and other biological material from bone and soft tissues. Surgical lasers and electrocautery tools can also produce aerosols when tissues are vaporized and condensed. Studies have been reported in the literature concerning production of aerosols during surgery, and some of these aerosols may contain infectious material. Garden et al. (1988) reported the presence of papilloma virus DNA in the fumes produced from laser surgery, but the infectivity of the aerosol was not assessed. Moon and Nininger (1989) measured the size distribution and production rate of emissions from laser surgery and found that particles were generally less than 0.5 {mu}m diameter. More recently there has been concern expressed over the production of aerosolized blood during surgical procedures that require power tools. In an in vitro study, the production of an aerosol containing the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was reported when power tools were used to cut tissues with blood infected with HIV. Another study measured the size distribution of blood aerosols produced by surgical power tools and found blood-containing particles in a number of size ranges. Health care workers are anxious and concerned about whether surgically produced aerosols are inspirable and can contain viable pathogens such as HIV. Other pathogens such as hepatitis B virus (HBV) are also of concern. The Occupational Safety and Health funded a project at the National Institute for Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute to assess the extent of aerosolization of blood and other tissues during surgical procedures. This document reports details of the experimental and sampling approach, methods, analyses, and results on potential production of blood-associated aerosols from surgical procedures in the laboratory and in the hospital surgical suite.

• Research Organization: Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Inst., Albuquerque, NM (United States). Inhalation Toxicology Research Inst.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health, Rockville, MD (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76EV01013
• OSTI ID: 10185619
• Report Number(s): ITRI--142; ON: DE95000670
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120
550600
560400
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOL MONITORING
AEROSOLS
BLOOD
CHEMICALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT
CUTTING TOOLS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELECTRIC APPLIANCES
HEPATITIS
HOSPITALS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INFECTIVITY
INHALATION
LASERS
MEDICINE
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANT EFFECTS
PATHOGENS
SURGERY
TISSUES
TOOLS