Hand-held device for smoke extraction

Abstract

Electrocautery produces smoke which potentially causes harm to theatre personnel as well as obscuring the surgical view. Few surgeons use smoke extraction units due to lack of availability, expense and the cumbersome nature of purpose-made, hand-held pieces.1 Our team passes the tip of the hand-held diathermy through a 53 cm 12-F suction catheter with a mully tip (Unomedical Pty Ltd, PO Box 405, NSW 2103 Australia; Fig. 1). This is secured with adhesive strips and connected to Flexi-Rib suction tubing (Pennine Healthcare Ltd, Derby, UK) to create an effective and ergonomically acceptable handheld smoke evacuator for less than one pound. The tubing is attached to a filtered smoke evacuator suction unit. Figure 1 Diathermy needle with smoke extractor.