ELECTROSURGERY – SMOKE EVACUATION – Smoke Education and Solutions

Title
Cancer Risk of Incremental Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Electrocautery Smoke for Mastectomy Personnel.
General, Plastic – 1/1/2014
Description 
The carcinogenic effects of PAHs in ES on the occupational health of surgical staff should not be neglected. The use of an effective ES evacuator or smoke removal apparatus is strongly suggested to diminish the electrosurgical smoke hazards to surgical staff.
Author
Hsin-Shun Tseng, Shi-Ping Liu, Shi-Nian Uang, Li-Ru Yang, Shien-Chih Lee, Yao-Jen Liu and Dar-Ren Chen

Title
Chemical Composition of Smoke Produced by High-frequency Electrosurgery
Aesthetics, Cardiothoracic, Dermatology, Drills, ENT, General, Laparoscopic, Laser, Orthopedic, Plastic, Plume, Saws, Smoke – 7/1/2007
Description 
This study demonstrated the presence of irritant, carcinogenic and neurotoxic compounds in electrosurgical smoke such as toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene. This may have considerable implications for the health and safety of all involved in surgical practice, as exposure to these compounds pose potential risks to health.
Author
O.S. Al Sahaf; I.Vega-Carrascal; F.O. Cunningham; J.P. MCGrath; F.J. Bloomfield

Title
Dissemination of Melanoma Cells within Electrocautery Plume
Dermatology, General, Laparoscopic- 7/1/1999
Description 
Results of this study confirm that application of electrocautery to a pellet of melanoma cells releases these cells into the plume. These cells are viable and may be grown in culture. This release of malignant cells may explain the appearance of port metastases at sites that are remote from the surgical dissection or that were never in direct contact with the tumor.
Author
John N. Fletcher, MD; Daphne Mew, PhD, MD, FRCS; Jean-Gaston DesCoˆ teaux, MA, MD, FRCS

Title
Effects of Plume Produced by the Nd: YAG Laser and Electrocautery on the Respiratory System
Dermatology, ENT, General, Laser- 1/1/1993
Description 
Lasers have assumed an increasingly important role in otolaryngology head and neck surgery in the past 10 years, with numerous studies in the literature supporting the use of this modality of treatment for various head and neck diseases.
Author
Barry L. Wenig, MD; Kerstin M. Stenson, MD; Diane Tracey, BS