Abstract
The atmosphere of induction-, operating-, and recovery-rooms is polluted by traces of waste anaesthetic vapours and gases such as halothane, enflurane, and nitrous oxide [1,2,3]. Can an atmosphere polluted by these agents cause acute or chronic illness in operating-room personnel? In my opinion this question cannot be answered with certainty, though epidemiological surveys [4–13] have suggested that persons working in operating-rooms experience an unusually high incidence of spontaneous abortions, congenital malformations in offspring, underweight newborn, cancer, and diseases of the liver and kidneys. Is there really a cause-effect relationship? What is the contribution of other factors, such as stress, work overload, abuse of alcohol, cigarette smoking, and vapours from disinfectants? Could it be that the observed health hazards are, at least in part, random events? First, we would like to point out that the authors of the epidemiological studies did not state, but only supposed, pollution of the atmosphere in operating-rooms to be responsible for acute or chronic illness in operating-room personnel.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Linde HW, Bruce DL (1969) Occupational exposure of anesthetists to halothane, nitrous oxide and radiation. Anesthesiology 30: 363–368
Whitcher CE, Cohen EN, Trudell JR (1971) Chronic exposure to anesthetic gases in the operating room. Anesthesiology 35: 348–353
Piziali RL, Whitcher C, Sher R, Moffat RJ (1976) Distribution of waste anesthetic gases in the operating room air. Anesthesiology 45: 487–494
Askrog V, Harvald B (1970) Teratogen effekt af inhalationsanaestetika. Saertryk Nord Med 83: 498–500
Cohen EN, Bellville JW, Brown BW (1971) Anesthesia, pregnancy, and miscarriage. A study of operating room nurses and anesthetists. Anesthesiology 35: 343–347
Knill-Jones RP, Moir DD, Rodrigues LV, Spence AA (1972) Anaesthetic practice and pregnancy. Controlled survey of women anaesthetists in the United Kingdom. Lancet 2: 1326–1328
Corbett TH, Cornell RG, Lieding K, Endres JL (1973) Incidence of cancer among Michigan nurseanesthetists. Anesthesiology 38: 260–263
American Society of Anesthesiologists (1974) Occupational disease among operating room personnel: A national study. Report of an ad hoc committee on the effect of trace anesthetics on the health of operating room personnel Anesthesiology 41: 321–340
Corbett TH, Cornell RG, Endres JL, Lieding K (1974) Birth defects among children of nurse-anesthetists. Anesthesiology 41: 341–344
Knill-Jones RP, Newmann BJ, Spence AA (1975) Anaesthetic practice and pregnancy. Controlled survey of male anaesthetists in the United Kingdom. Lancet 2: 807–809
Cohen EN, Brown BW, Bruce DL, Cascorbi HF, Corbett TH, Jones TW, Whitcher CE (1975) A survey of anesthetic health hazards among dentists. J Am Dent Assoc (JADA) 90: 1291–1296
Pharoah POD, Alberman E, Doyle P (1977) Outcome of pregnancy among women in anaesthetic practice. Lancet 1: 34–36
Tomlin PJ (1979) Health problems of anaesthetists and their families in the West Midlands. Br Med J 1: 779–784
Lecky JH (1980) Anesthetic pollution in the operating room. A notice to operating room personnel Anesthesiology 52: 157–159
Fink BR, Cullen BF (1976) Anesthetic pollution: What is happening to us? Anesthesiology 45: 79–83
Vessey MP (1978) Epidemiological studies of the occupational hazards of anaesthesia - a review. Anaesthesia 33: 430–438
Ferstandig LL (1978) Trace concentrations of anesthetic gases: a critical review of their disease potential Anesth Analg 57: 328–345
Empfehlung der deutschen Gesellschaft fur Anaesthesie und Wiederbelebung und des Berufsverbandes deutschen Anaesthesisten (1974) Anaesth Inform 15: 292–294
Eichler J, Kukulinus K, Naumann P (1972) Über das Aufnahmevermogen von Halothanfiltern. Anaesth Inform 4: 123–128
Smith G, Shirley AW (1976) Failure to demonstrate effects of low concentrations of nitrous oxide and halothane on psychomotor performance. Br J Anaesth 48: 274
Mazze RJ (1980) Waste anesthetic gases and the regulatory agencies. Anesthesiology 52: 248–256
Bruce DL, Bach MJ (1976) Effects of trace anaesthetic gases on behavioural performance of volunteers. Br J Anaesth 48: 871–876
Frankhuizen JL, Vlek CAJ, Burm AGL, Rejger V (1978) Failure to replicate negative effects of trace anaesthetics on mental performance. Br J Anaesth 50: 229
Smith G, Shirley AW (1978) A review of the effects of trace concentrations of anaesthetics on performance. Br J Anaesth 50: 701–712
Cook TL, Smith M, Starkweather JA, Winter PM, Eger EI II (1978) Behavioral effects of trace and subanesthetic halothane and nitrous oxide in man. Anesthesiology 49: 419–424
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1982 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Taeger, K. (1982). Aspects of Possible Health Hazards from Traces of Waste Anaesthetic Vapours and Gases. In: Peter, K., Jesch, F. (eds) Inhalation Anaesthesia Today and Tomorrow. Anaesthesiologie und Intensivmedizin / Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, vol 150. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68713-6_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-68713-6_5
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-11757-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-68713-6
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive