title: Management of exposure to waste anesthetic gases.
abstract: Anesthetic agents were developed in the 1700s, and nitrous oxide was first used in 1884. Research on the effects of waste anesthetic gas exposure started appearing in the literature in 1967. Short-term exposure causes lethargy and fatigue, and long-term exposure may be linked to spontaneous abortion, congenital abnormalities, infertility, premature births, cancer, and renal and hepatic disease. Today, perioperative staff members are exposed to trace amounts of waste anesthetic gas, and although this exposure cannot be eliminated, it can be controlled. Health care facilities are required to develop, implement, measure, and control practices to reduce anesthetic gas exposure to the lowest practical level. Exposure levels must be measured every six months and maintained at less than 25 parts per million for nitrous oxide and 2 parts per million for halogenated agents to be compliant with Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards.
authors.affiliation: Baptist Hospital East, Louisville, KY, USA.
authors.forename: Francis Duval
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000009:adverse effects; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D015920:Gas Scavengers; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal / Q000379:methods; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016272:Occupational Health; D009871:Operating Room Nursing; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017751:Safety Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States; D014489:United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration; D014691:Ventilation
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal