Premium
Anaesthetic pollution in the dental out‐patient surgery
Author(s) -
PARBROOK GEOFFREY D.,
DAVIS PAUL D.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1979.tb04866.x
Subject(s) - medicine , spillage , fresh gas flow , anesthesia , expired air , ventilation (architecture) , pollution , dental surgery , surgery , dentistry , waste management , sevoflurane , mechanical engineering , ecology , engineering , biology
Five factors influencing pollution in the dental surgery are considered. Despite leakage from round the mask and from the mouth, scavenging can remove the majority of expired anaesthetic. The effectiveness of scavenging can usefully be monitored with a Wright respirometer. Spillage of anaesthetic vapour at induction and at the end of anaesthesia must be avoided. In addition to scavenging, pollution levels are minimised if a Boyle's type machine is used and excessive fresh gas flow avoided. Room ventilation, e.g. extract fans in windows, is vital in reducing pollution levels in the surgery. Room size and non-uniformity of ventilation must also be considered.