A Novel Anti-Pollution Filter for Volatile Agents During Cardiopulmonary Bypass: Preliminary Tests

ABSTRACT

There are issues regarding pollution of the operating room by volatile anesthetics such ashazards to operating theatre personnel and effects on the level of atmospheric ozone depletioncontributing to greenhouse effect.1,2 The most commonly used volatile anesthetics used for surgery—isoflurane, sevoflurane, anddesflurane—are recognized greenhouse gases and a potential deleterious effect to the earth’sozone layer.3Volatile agents are commonly used during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) to provide anesthesia independent of any supposed myocardial protective effects. De Hert et al suggeststhat their cardioprotective properties might also be related to the modalities of their administration..