Biomaterial Database

An assessment of operating room environment air contamination with nitrous oxide and halothane and some scavenging methods. 1978

J W McIntyre, and J T Purdham, and H R Hosein

This study was designed to assess operating room contamination with nitrous oxide and halothane when nitrous oxide 3 1/min and oxygen 2 1/min containing halothane one per cent were passed into a semiclosed circle absorber system from which the patients' lungs were ventilated with an Ohio ventimeter through a cuffed tracheal tube, with the exhaled gas vented to the floor. The normal room ventilation did not consistently maintain levels below the suggested amounts, which are nitrous oxide 25 ppm and halothane 2 ppm. Careful daily check for and correction of high and low pressure leaks combined with the use of a Foregger scavenging device (7--351--005) and continuous wall vacuum accepting approximately 22 1/min enabled geometric mean values below the suggested levels to be achieved. The Protection Filter Foregger 7--365--001 was only effective in removing halothane and only if the plastic holder provided was radically modified. Attention is drawn to the numerous factors influencing the magnitude of contamination, aspects of controlling it, and the necessity to cope with the problem of dealing with scavenged gases and vapours.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008722	Methods	A series of steps taken in order to conduct research.	Techniques,Methodological Studies,Methodological Study,Procedures,Studies, Methodological,Study, Methodological,Method,Procedure,Technique
D009609	Nitrous Oxide	Nitrogen oxide (N2O). A colorless, odorless gas that is used as an anesthetic and analgesic. High concentrations cause a narcotic effect and may replace oxygen, causing death by asphyxia. It is also used as a food aerosol in the preparation of whipping cream.	Laughing Gas,Nitrogen Protoxide,Gas, Laughing,Oxide, Nitrous
D009873	Operating Rooms	Facilities equipped for performing surgery.	Operating Room,Room, Operating,Rooms, Operating
D006221	Halothane	A nonflammable, halogenated, hydrocarbon anesthetic that provides relatively rapid induction with little or no excitement. Analgesia may not be adequate. NITROUS OXIDE is often given concomitantly. Because halothane may not produce sufficient muscle relaxation, supplemental neuromuscular blocking agents may be required. (From AMA Drug Evaluations Annual, 1994, p178)	1,1,1-Trifluoro-2-Chloro-2-Bromoethane,Fluothane,Ftorotan,Narcotan
D000393	Air Pollutants	Any substance in the air which could, if present in high enough concentration, harm humans, animals, vegetation or materials. Substances include GASES; PARTICULATE MATTER; and volatile ORGANIC CHEMICALS.	Air Pollutant,Air Pollutants, Environmental,Environmental Air Pollutants,Environmental Pollutants, Air,Air Environmental Pollutants,Pollutant, Air,Pollutants, Air,Pollutants, Air Environmental,Pollutants, Environmental Air
D000395	Air Pollutants, Occupational	Toxic air-borne matter related to work performed They are usually produced by the specific nature of the occupation.	Occupational Air Pollutants,Pollutants, Occupational Air
D000397	Air Pollution	The presence of contaminants or pollutant substances in the air (AIR POLLUTANTS) that interfere with human health or welfare, or produce other harmful environmental effects. The substances may include GASES; PARTICULATE MATTER; or volatile ORGANIC CHEMICALS.	Air Quality,Air Pollutions,Pollution, Air
D000758	Anesthesia	A state characterized by loss of feeling or sensation. This depression of nerve function is usually the result of pharmacologic action and is induced to allow performance of surgery or other painful procedures.
D000776	Anesthesiology	A specialty concerned with the study of anesthetics and anesthesia.
D014691	Ventilation	Supplying a building or house, their rooms and corridors, with fresh air. The controlling of the environment thus may be in public or domestic sites and in medical or non-medical locales. (From Dorland, 28th ed)	Ventilations