The Clinical Services Journal is inviting all staff working in operating theatres to take part in an important survey on exposure to surgical smoke in UK hospitals.
The Association for Perioperative Practice (AfPP) has previously raised concerns that perioperative professionals are being routinely exposed to surgical smoke, plume and aerosols produced by instruments used for dissection and haemostasis.
In addition to harmful chemicals, evidence shows that surgical smoke can contain malignant cells, live bacteria and viruses, including HPV and the human immunodeficiency virus. Earlier this year, Fox-Lewis et al (2020) published a systematic review on human papillomavirus and surgical smoke. The literature search demonstrated that surgical smoke from the treatment of HPV-related lesions can contain HPV DNA, and that this can contaminate the upper airways of operating theatre staff.
So, how confident are theatre staff that they know how to protect themselves and are smoke evaculation systems always used during electrosurgery and laser procedures? To take part in this important survey, please click on the link here.
The survey is totally anonymous and takes less than a minute to complete. Thank you for giving up your time; we are extremely grateful for your responses and look forward to sharing the results.
