Surgical Smoke Exposure

This single-center, prospective before-after (quasi-experimental) study evaluates whether a brief preoperative "Smoke Check" practice improves compliance with surgical smoke evacuation during smoke-generating surgical procedures. The Smoke Check consists of two short safety questions asked by the circulating nurse before a procedure begins: (1) Is surgical smoke expected to be generated during this procedure? and (2) If yes, is an appropriate smoke evacuation system ready for use? The study first observes current practice during a Baseline period without changing existing workflow, and then introduces the Smoke Check into the circulating nurses' preoperative routine during a second (Post-Smoke Check) period, comparing the proportion of smoke-generating procedures with appropriate smoke evacuation use between the two periods. The unit of observation is the surgical procedure, not the patient or staff member, and no patient- or staff-identifying information is collected. The study is grounded in the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) Guideline for Surgical Smoke Safety and does not involve any drug, device, or licensed psychometric instrument.

This study was conducted to compare the effect of surgical mask and N95 mask use on physical symptoms due to surgical smoke in operating theatre nurses. The study, which was conducted in a single-group prospective quasi-experimental design, was completed with 38 nurses in the operating theatre unit of a state hospital in the Western Black Sea Region. Data were collected for four weeks using the Descriptive Information Form, Numerical Rating Scale and Symptom Follow-up Form. According to the findings, muscle weakness, myalgia in the upper extremities and muscle cramps were statistically significantly less in nurses using N95 masks. Respiratory parameters, watery eyes and redness were significantly lower in nurses using surgical masks. As a result, it was determined that the type of mask was effective on the incidence of physical symptoms related to surgical smoke.