Assessment the operating room based on environmental factors and monitoring anesthetic gases in southwest of Iran

Abstract

Background/objectivesOccupational exposure of employees to residual anesthetic gases in the operating room without a proper ventilation system can adversely affect their health. The purpose of this study was to assessment the environmental factors and monitoring the concentration of anesthetic gases in the operating rooms. MethodsTwenty-three operating rooms were examined. Simultaneously with each sampling, the temperature and humidity were measured with a moisture meter, a psychrometer, IR thermometer (Triplett MS475). The data was then analyzed using the Mann-Whitney and Pearson correlation tests. ResultsThe findings showed that the average concentration of isoflurane (P-value = 0.036) and sevoflurane (P-value = 0.049) were significantly higher in hospitals without ventilation system. Also, result of this study showed that the average level of isoflurane and sevoflurane (P-value = 0.315 and P-value = 0.120), there was no significant relationship in hospitals without cooler than hospitals with cooler system.Based on result this study, there was not found significant relationship between isoflurane and humidity (P-value = 0.586), isoflurane and temperature (P-value = 0.890), sevoflurane and humidity (P-value = 0.692), and sevoflurane and temperature (P-value = 0.199). ConclusionAccording to the results, the most important ways to reduce adverse health effects and reduce occupational exposure levels among employees and patients including the use of modern equipment, improvement of the operating room ventilation system, the use of a cleaning system closes to the exit pipe of the anesthesia machine, employee training, control of environmental factors (temperature and humidity), and frequent monitoring of anesthetic gases.