Surgical Smoke: Risks and Mitigation Strategies

Abstract

AbstractAs the usage of electrocautery, ultrasonic scalpels, and lasers have become commonplace, operative staff and patients alike are at increased risk of exposure to dangerous surgical smoke emanating from these devices. Terms like “smoke,” “plume,” and less commonly “aerosol” are used to refer to by-products of laser tissue ablation and electrocautery, whereas “plume,” “aerosol,” and “vapor” are associated with ultrasonic dissection. “Smoke,” although not formally accurate in all cases, is a widely accepted term used to describe surgically generated gaseous by-product [1].