Aspects of Possible Health Hazards from Traces of Waste Anaesthetic Vapours and Gases

Abstract

The atmosphere of induction-, operating-, and recovery-rooms is polluted by traces of waste anaesthetic vapours and gases such as halothane, enflurane, and nitrous oxide [1,2,3]. Can an atmosphere polluted by these agents cause acute or chronic illness in operating-room personnel? In my opinion this question cannot be answered with certainty, though epidemiological surveys [4–13] have suggested that persons working in operating-rooms experience an unusually high incidence of spontaneous abortions, congenital malformations in offspring, underweight newborn, cancer, and diseases of the liver and kidneys. Is there really a cause-effect relationship? What is the contribution of other factors, such as stress, work overload, abuse of alcohol, cigarette smoking, and vapours from disinfectants? Could it be that the observed health hazards are, at least in part, random events? First, we would like to point out that the authors of the epidemiological studies did not state, but only supposed, pollution of the atmosphere in operating-rooms to be responsible for acute or chronic illness in operating-room personnel.