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Laryngeal mask and anaesthetic waste gas exposure
Author(s) -
LAMBERTJENSEN P.,
CHRISTENSEN N. E.,
BRYNNUM J.
Publication year - 1992
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.1365-2044.1992.tb02395.x
Subject(s) - medicine , nitrous oxide , anesthesia , mascara , laryngeal mask airway , tracheal intubation , propofol , laryngeal masks , tracheal tube , airway , intubation , alfentanil , ventilation (architecture) , operating theatres , surgery , medical emergency , mechanical engineering , engineering
Summary In recent years there has been a growing awareness of the possible hazards caused by anaesthetic gases in operating theatres. The laryngeal mask airway provides an alternative both to tracheal intubation and the face mask although the implications for operating theatre contamination have not been quantified. This paper describes the incidence and magnitude of exposure of theatre personnel to waste anaesthetic gases during laryngeal mask airway anaesthesia. The leakage of anaesthetic gases to the anaesthetist's breathing zone was monitored using a Bruel & Kjaer Multi Gas Monitor, Type 1302 during 50 general anaesthetics employing either spontaneous (n = 24) or controlled (n = 26) ventilation. All patients were anaesthetised with propofol, alfentanil and nitrous oxide. There was no statistically significant association between the amount of anaesthetic gas leakage and ventilation method. The laryngeal mask airway meets occupational safety requirements on nitrous oxide concentrations in the operating theatre environment.