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Laser Plume

The visualisation of surgical smoke produced by energy delivery
devices: significance and effectiveness of evacuation systems.

Microbiologic Activity in Laser Resurfacing Plume and Debris The potential exists for operating personnel to be exposed to viable bacteria during laser resurfacing. By: Peter J. Capizzi, MD, Ricky P. Clay, MD, & Mary Jo Battey, RN Published: Lasers in Surgery & Medicine, 1998, Vol. 23(3)
Viral Disease Transmitted by Laser-Generated Plume Laser plume has been shown, for the first time to our knowledge, to actually transmit disease. Strict cars must be maintained by the laser practitioner to minimize potential health risks, especially when treating viral-induced lesions or patients with viral disease. By: Jerome M. Garden, MD, M.Kerry O'Banion, MD, PhD, Abnoeal D. Bakus, PhD & Carl Olson, DVM, PhD Published: Archives of Dermatology, 2002 October Vol. 138/ No. 10
Human Papillomavirus DNA in CO2 Laser Generated Plume of Smoke and It’s Consequences to the Surgeon Carbon dioxide laser energy is absorbed by intracellular water but not by proteins or nucleic acids. The possibility of dispersing viral DNA during laser therapy of human papillomavirus (HPV)-containing genital infections was explored using a filter hybridization technique... By: Alex Ferenczy, MD, Christine Bergeron, MD & Ralph M. Richart, MD Published: Obstetrics & Gynecology, 1990 Vol. 75/ No. 1
Presence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus DNA in Laser Smoke Laser vaporous by-products (plume) have been shown to contain fine particulate matter which creates anatomically identifiable lesions when chronically inspired... By: Michael S. Baggish, MD, Bernard J. Poiesz, MD, Dale Joret, MD, Patrick Williamson, MD & Ashraf Refai, MD Published: Lasers in Surgery & Medicine, 1991 Vol. 11
In Vitro Production of Viable Bacteriophage in a Laser Plume The potential hazards of aerosols produced by surgical devices interacting with human tissue and fluids are a source of concern to surgical staff and patients. Typical devices and procedures that can generate airborne debris are bone saws, surgical drills, electrocautery procedures, and laser surgery. By: M.N. Ediger, PhD & L.S. Matchette, MS Published: Lasers in Surgery & Medicine, 1989
Second Thoughts on Preoperative and Postoperative CO2 Laser Care "Second Thoughts" focuses on ways in which aesthetic plastic surgeons have modified or even dramatically changed their techniques over time to achieve optimal results. Contributors are Aesthetic Society members and other recognized experts. By: Gary J. Rosenberg, MD Published: Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 1997 November/December
Generation of infectious Retrovirus Aerosol Through Medical Laser Irradiation Lasers have many applications in medicine. Although laser beams may come in contact with infectious or neoplastic tissues, the risk of infections or inadvertant dissemination of neoplasticcells through laser plume or vapors is thought to be neglegible. By: Benedikt L. Ziegler, MD, Christian A. Thomas, MD, Thomas Meier, PhD, Robert Muller, PhD, Theodor M. Fliedner, MD & Lothar Weber, MD, PhD Published: Lasers in Surgery & Medicine, 1998 Vol. 23(5)
Effects of Plume Produced by the Nd:YAG Laser and Electrocautery on the Respiratory System 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. By: Barry L. Wenig, MD, Kerstin M. Stenson, MD, Bruce M. Wenig, MD & Diana Tracey, BS Published: Lasers in Surgery & Medicine, 1993 Vol. 13
Mutagenicity of Smoke Condensates Induced by CO2 - Laser Irradiation and Electrocauterization Smoke condensates generated from mucous membrane of the canine tongue irradiated with a CO2 laser showed mutagenicity on Salmonella typhimurium TA98 under metabolic activation with S9 mix. Strain TA100 was not so sensitive to the condensates with or without S9 mix. The revertant number per mg of the smoke condensates from laser irradiation was one-half that of the smoke condensates from electrocauterization (1623 and 3371) in TA98. The mutagenic potency observed was comparable to that of cigarette smoke. The amount of these smoke condensates from 1g of tissue was equivalent to those from 3-6 cigarettes as to total mutagenicity. By: Toshifumi Tomita, Shigenobu Mihashi, Kazuto Nagata, Setsuo Ueda, Masakazu Fujiki, Minoru Hirano, and Tomio Hirohata Published: Mutation Research, 1981
Potential Hazards from Electrosurgery Plume: Recommendations for Surgical Smoke Evacuation Most hospitals today are "non smoking" hospitals. Where is the one place in the hospital that smoking occurs on a daily basis and nobody objects? That's right, the operating room, and who is breathing it? The perioperative nursing staff, anesthesia personnel, surgeons, and patient. What you see in the OR every day is the steam and what you are breathing is the vaporized tissue. The cancer society took a long time to convince us that cigarette smoke caused lung cancer. Think about the years and years of research that went into their findings before they said "yes, we have proven it, cigarette smoking is hazardous to your health." Perhaps research will eventually tell us that breathing electrosurgery (ES) smoke is also hazardous to our health. By: Marlys Hoglan, RN, CNOR Published: Canadian Operating Room Nursing Journal, 1995
Netherlands 2008 The visualisation of surgical smoke produced by energy delivery devices: significance and effectiveness of evacuation systems. By: Tjeerd de Boorder, RudolfVerdaasdonk, John Klaessens Dept. Clinical Physics, University Medical Centre Utrecht, The NetherlandsMedical Centre Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Surgical Mask Filter and Fit Performance This study measures the effectiveness of surgical masks to act in providing respiratory protection during surgical procedures. The authors examined the filtration capabilities of the masks along with the fit characteristics to reach their conclusion. They concluded that none of the masks examined exhibited adequate filtration or fit to be considered respiratory protection.
Pilot Study of Directional Airflow and Containment of Airborne Particles in the Size of Mycobacteriu This pilot study clearly indicates that avoiding the use of freestanding HEPA filters inside an OR during a surgical procedure is prudent and consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
Bovie Smoke: A Perilous Plume Surgical smoke plume, often referred to as Bovie smoke, is examined in this article from a number of different facets. Taken from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons Journal, the author outlines the hazards by first making the comparison of plume contents, both laser and electrosurgical, to that of cigarette smoke in potential toxicity. Furthermore, he examines the mutagenic, carcinogenic, and neurotoxic compounds that reside within surgical plume. Finally, he concludes his discussion with an examination of inert and biologically active particles that are propelled in to the air space when cellular disruption takes place, either through laser or electrosurgical means.
Ultrafine Particles This article takes measures to quantify the amount of particulate that resides within surgical smoke plume during a series of different procedures. As part of their examination, the authors discuss the respiratory hazards associated with the inhalation of particles less than 2.5 microns as these particles are able to reach the deepest regions of the lungs, the alveolar.