Prevention and control of surgical smoke in Europe and the United States

Germany classifies the hazards of operating room smoke as the hazards of tobacco. Surgery should be performed in an operating room equipped with modern ventilation and air conditioning systems. In addition, during the operation, it is recommended to equip corresponding surgical smoke removal system to reduce potential risks.

Australia recommends the use of a smoke removal system during surgery.

In Denmark, it is mandatory to have a surgical smoke removal system during surgery.

Canada mandates that surgical fumes must be properly recycled.

The United Kingdom recommends the necessary protective measures for medical personnel who may be affected by surgical smoke.

Most states in the United States have incorporated surgical smoke management into their mandatory management programs.

Status of surgical smoke prevention and control in China

China is relatively backward in the control of surgical smoke, and even many medical staff have misunderstandings about surgical smoke:

A. I think that medical surgical masks can shield or filter out harmful components (×)

B. Suction can be used to remove smoke during surgery (×)

C. Laparoscopic surgery does not need to use a smoke removal system to filter and purify the air in the operating room (×)

At present, there are very few hospitals equipped with mobile smoking equipment in surgical operating rooms in China. At the same time, they are limited by occupational health and safety awareness and budgetary expenditures. They are actually less used in surgery.

The morbidity, abortion rate, and tumor incidence of the respiratory system of medical staff were higher than those of the normal population.

Therefore, it is urgent to establish standards or guidelines that are in line with China's national conditions and can take into account the health of medical personnel, and promote mobile surgical smoke removal systems in surgical operating rooms.