What material membrane can filter out harmful substances in the air of the operating room

During laser surgery, including laparoscopic surgery, orthopedic surgery, cosmetic surgery, or other minimally invasive procedures, the interaction of the laser beam with biological tissue produces a plume or smoke, commonly referred to as surgical smoke or laser plume. Some common particulate matter contained in this smoke includes:

1. Cellular debris: This includes charred or vaporized tissue, blood components, and dead cells.

2. Water vapor: Laser surgery usually produces high temperatures, which can cause water in the tissue to evaporate.

3. Chemicals: Various chemicals may be present in surgical smoke, such as acetic acid, formaldehyde, benzene, and toluene.

4. Aerosolized biological material: This may include bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that can be aerosolized during laser surgery.

5. Particulate matter: These are tiny particles that can be suspended in the air, including dust, fibers, and other fine particles.

The potential effects of smoke from such procedures on the human body can be divided into two categories: short-term effects and long-term effects. In the short term, it can cause irritation and discomfort to the respiratory system, causing symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, and shortness of breath; chemicals and particles in the smoke can cause eye irritation, redness, and watering; some people may experience pain from breathing surgical smoke Headache and dizziness; smell and chemicals can cause nausea and vomiting in some people. The long-term effect on the human body is that prolonged exposure to surgical fumes may increase the risk of respiratory diseases such as asthma and bronchitis; some chemicals present in the fumes, such as formaldehyde and benzene, are known carcinogens, Long-term exposure may increase the risk of cancer; there is also a potential risk of transmission of infections, including viral infections, through aerosolized biological material present in surgical fumes; to mitigate these effects, proper fume extraction and filtration must be implemented during laser surgery system. Proper ventilation and use of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as masks and goggles with specialized filter materials, also help protect healthcare professionals from the harmful effects of surgical fumes.

Medical surgical masks can only filter 70% of particles. As a replaceable consumable in the smoke exhaust equipment, the smoke filter can remove the smoke particles generated during the operation and absorb the odor and toxic gas generated during the operation, improving the visibility in the operating room And reduce the odor in the air.   In fact, there are a variety of materials that can be used to filter harmful substances in the air of the operating room, such as PTFE membrane materials, HEPA materials, etc. PTFE is composed of composite fiber materials, PTFE membranes, glass fiber membranes, and folded filter elements are made by folding methods , Effectively increase the filtration area, combined with polypropylene shell, can remove surgical smoke particles of different sizes. Likewise, HEPA is made up of a dense matrix of fibers that traps tiny particles and pollutants, including bacteria, viruses, dust, and other harmful substances. HEPA filters are commonly used in operating rooms to remove pathogens and pollutants from the air.

Citation

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3. "Activated carbon air filters: Everything you need to know" by Hunker (2021) - This article provides a basic overview of activated carbon air filters, including how they work and their applications in different settings.

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