Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Characterization of aerosols produced by surgical procedures: A summary

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:54790
In many types of surgery, especially orthopedic procedures, power tools such as saws and drills are used. These tools can impart considerable energy in disrupting tissue and may produce aerosolized blood and material from bone and other tissues. Surgical lasers and electrocautery tools can also produce aerosols due to vaporization of blood and tissues. A number of studies have been reported concerning production of aerosols during surgery, and some of the aerosols produced may contain infectious materials. Health care workers have expressed concern and questions pertaining to the occupational transmission of blood-borne pathogens including the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) via blood aerosols during surgery. Little or no data existed characterizing the aerosols produced performing surgical procedures. Because of this lack of data, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health funded a project at ITRI to assess the extent of aerosolization of blood and other tissues during surgical procedures in the laboratory and in a hospital surgical suite.
Research Organization:
Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Inst., Albuquerque, NM (United States). Inhalation Toxicology Research Inst.
OSTI ID:
54790
Report Number(s):
ITRI--144; ON: DE95007526
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English