As surgeons perform procedures on people, they create smoke.
Surgical smoke is created in about 90 percent of surgeries, according to a news release from St. Mary's Hospital.
The hospital recently received the "Go Clear Award" from the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses for its achievement in eliminating hazardous smoke from procedures. The award recognizes health care facilities that have committed to providing increased surgical patient and health care worker safety by implementing practices that eliminate smoke caused by the use of lasers and electrosurgery devices during surgery.
St. Mary's Hospital earned the award by undergoing comprehensive surgical smoke education and testing, and for providing the medical devices and resources necessary to evacuate surgical smoke during all smoke-generating procedures.
Surgical smoke contains toxic chemicals such as benzene, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide. It can contain viruses, bacteria, blood and cancer cells.
Inhalation and absorption of surgical smoke pose serious health risks to patients and surgical staff.
Studies compare the inhalation of smoke from vaporized human tissue to the smoke created by cigarettes. The average daily impact of surgical smoke to the surgical team is equivalent to inhaling 27-30 unfiltered cigarettes, according to the release.
It is estimated only 50 percent of health care workers across the United States understand the hazards of surgical smoke exposure.
Total smoke evacuation should be the standard for all procedures that generate surgical smoke, Mike Baumgartner, regional president of SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital, said in the release.