El humo quirúrgico: riesgos y medidas preventivas / Surgical smoke: risks and preventive measures

La aplicación de las tecnologías avanzadas a la medicina ha supuesto el incremento de algunos factores de riesgo en el personal sanitario. Uno de ellos podría ser el humo quirúrgico producido por instrumentos electroquirúrgicos, ultrasonidos o láser. La voz de alarma acerca de un posible perjuicio para la salud de los trabajadores de quirófano se basa fundamentalmente en los componentes detectados hasta la fecha y los experimentos realizados en el laboratorio. No obstante, hay que tener precaución al extrapolar los resultados de los estudios in vitro a la práctica clínica diaria y, hasta la fecha, no hay evidencias suficientes del efecto perjudicial de la exposición crónica a éste en los estudios poblacionales publicados. Los organismos responsables de velar por la salud de los trabajadores en distintos países no han emitido todavía normas para el tratamiento y la evacuación del humo quirúrgico generado en intervenciones tanto por laparotomía como por laparoscopia. En este artículo pretendemos ofrecer una visión de las consecuencias que el humo quirúrgico tiene para la salud y las medidas preventivas que se pueden adoptar (AU)

The application of the advanced technologies in medicine has led to the appearance of new risk factors for health personnel. One of these could be the surgical smoke produced by electrosurgical instruments, ultrasounds or laser. However, there is still insufficient evidence in the published population studies on the detrimental effects of chronic exposure to surgical smoke. The main concern on the possible damage to the health of operating room staff is mainly based on the components currently detected until the date and laboratory experiments. Caution must also be used when extrapolating the results of in vitro studies to daily clinical practice. The organisations responsible for protecting the health of the workers in different countries have still not issued guidelines for the treatment and removal of the surgical smoke generated in both open and laparoscopic procedures. In this article we try to present a view of the consequences that surgical smoke has on health and the preventive measures that can be adopted (AU)

[Surgical smoke: risks and preventive measures]. / El humo quirúrgico: riesgos y medidas preventivas.

The application of the advanced technologies in medicine has led to the appearance of new risk factors for health personnel. One of these could be the surgical smoke produced by electrosurgical instruments, ultrasounds or laser. However, there is still insufficient evidence in the published population studies on the detrimental effects of chronic exposure to surgical smoke. The main concern on the possible damage to the health of operating room staff is mainly based on the components currently detected until the date and laboratory experiments. Caution must also be used when extrapolating the results of in vitro studies to daily clinical practice. The organisations responsible for protecting the health of the workers in different countries have still not issued guidelines for the treatment and removal of the surgical smoke generated in both open and laparoscopic procedures. In this article we try to present a view of the consequences that surgical smoke has on health and the preventive measures that can be adopted.