Airway fires: reducing the risk during laser surgery. 1990


In this issue, we evaluate two methods of providing safe, fire-resistant patient ventilation during laser surgery: ETTs marketed for use during laser surgery and wraps that can protect standard ETTs from laser energy under certain conditions. We evaluated five LRETTs from five manufacturers. The best protection from all types of laser energy to which we subjected the tubes - CO2, ND:YAG, and KTP - is offered by the Baxter Norton LRETT because it does not burn, although its use requires special ventilating techniques; it is rated Acceptable for all three types of laser surgery. Two other evaluated tubes provide protection from specific laser energies under limited conditions: the Bivona tube is rated Acceptable for CO2 laser surgery, and the Mallinckrodt tube is rated Acceptable for CO2 and KTP laser surgery. The Sheridan and Xomed tubes do not provide practical clinical protection and are rated Unacceptable. We also evaluated four wraps from three manufacturers. The Merocel wrap for standard ETTs, which is made of synthetic surgical sponge and adhesive-backed metal foil, is rated Acceptable and protects against typical surgical levels of CO2 and KTP laser energy. The Radio Shack metal sensing tape and 3M aluminum and copper foil tapes are rated Conditionally Acceptable for protecting against laser energy; they are Acceptable only on the condition that other means of laser protection are unavailable and alternative ventilation methods have been considered. These tapes are not marketed as laser-resistant wraps or FDA reviewed as medical devices; thus, users must assume full liability for a fire or any other adverse effects when using them. We recommend against using nonmedical metal tapes for most laser surgery on adults or larger pediatric patients since LRETTs or the Merocel wrap can be used for these applications. We further caution clinicians to base purchasing decisions for laser-resistant products on a thorough understanding of the issues behind our conclusions, which can be gained only by reading this evaluation in its entirety.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007442 Intubation, Intratracheal A procedure involving placement of a tube into the trachea through the mouth or nose in order to provide a patient with oxygen and anesthesia. Intubation, Endotracheal,Endotracheal Intubation,Endotracheal Intubations,Intratracheal Intubation,Intratracheal Intubations,Intubations, Endotracheal,Intubations, Intratracheal
D008422 Materials Testing The testing of materials and devices, especially those used for PROSTHESES AND IMPLANTS; SUTURES; TISSUE ADHESIVES; etc., for hardness, strength, durability, safety, efficacy, and biocompatibility. Biocompatibility Testing,Biocompatible Materials Testing,Hemocompatibility Testing,Testing, Biocompatible Materials,Testing, Hemocompatible Materials,Hemocompatibility Testings,Hemocompatible Materials Testing,Materials Testing, Biocompatible,Materials Testing, Hemocompatible,Testing, Biocompatibility,Testing, Hemocompatibility,Testing, Materials,Testings, Biocompatibility
D004867 Equipment Design Methods and patterns of fabricating machines and related hardware. Design, Equipment,Device Design,Medical Device Design,Design, Medical Device,Designs, Medical Device,Device Design, Medical,Device Designs, Medical,Medical Device Designs,Design, Device,Designs, Device,Designs, Equipment,Device Designs,Equipment Designs
D004868 Equipment Failure Failure of equipment to perform to standard. The failure may be due to defects or improper use. Defects, Equipment,Device Failure,Failure, Equipment,Malfunction, Equipment,Medical Device Failure,Misuse, Equipment,Device Failure, Medical,Device Failures, Medical,Failure, Medical Device,Failures, Medical Device,Defect, Equipment,Device Failures,Equipment Defect,Equipment Defects,Equipment Failures,Equipment Malfunction,Equipment Malfunctions,Equipment Misuse,Equipment Misuses,Failure, Device,Failures, Device,Failures, Equipment,Malfunctions, Equipment,Misuses, Equipment
D004869 Equipment Safety Freedom of equipment from actual or potential hazards. Device Safety,Hazards, Equipment,Medical Device Safety,Safety, Equipment,Device Safety, Medical,Safety, Medical Device,Equipment Hazard,Equipment Hazards,Hazard, Equipment,Safety, Device
D005069 Evaluation Studies as Topic Works about studies that determine the effectiveness or value of processes, personnel, and equipment, or the material on conducting such studies. Critique,Evaluation Indexes,Evaluation Methodology,Evaluation Report,Evaluation Research,Methodology, Evaluation,Pre-Post Tests,Qualitative Evaluation,Quantitative Evaluation,Theoretical Effectiveness,Use-Effectiveness,Critiques,Effectiveness, Theoretical,Evaluation Methodologies,Evaluation Reports,Evaluation, Qualitative,Evaluation, Quantitative,Evaluations, Qualitative,Evaluations, Quantitative,Indexes, Evaluation,Methodologies, Evaluation,Pre Post Tests,Pre-Post Test,Qualitative Evaluations,Quantitative Evaluations,Report, Evaluation,Reports, Evaluation,Research, Evaluation,Test, Pre-Post,Tests, Pre-Post,Use Effectiveness
D005390 Fires Combustion or burning in which substances combine chemically with oxygen typically giving out bright light, heat, and smoke. Fire
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012307 Risk Factors An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent. Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor
D053685 Laser Therapy The use of photothermal effects of LASERS to coagulate, incise, vaporize, resect, dissect, or resurface tissue. Laser Knife,Laser Scalpel,Surgery, Laser,Vaporization, Laser,Laser Ablation,Laser Knives,Laser Photoablation of Tissue,Laser Surgery,Laser Tissue Ablation,Nonablative Laser Treatment,Pulsed Laser Tissue Ablation,Ablation, Laser,Ablation, Laser Tissue,Knife, Laser,Knifes, Laser,Knive, Laser,Knives, Laser,Laser Knifes,Laser Knive,Laser Scalpels,Laser Surgeries,Laser Therapies,Laser Treatment, Nonablative,Laser Treatments, Nonablative,Laser Vaporization,Nonablative Laser Treatments,Scalpel, Laser,Scalpels, Laser,Surgeries, Laser,Therapies, Laser,Therapy, Laser,Tissue Ablation, Laser

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