title: Noise levels in modern operating rooms during surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if differences in noise levels exist in the cardiac operating room at various critical points.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, nonrandomized study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cardiac operating rooms of a university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cardiac surgical patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The noise level was monitored in the operating room for 23 patients undergoing cardiac surgery requiring general anesthesia during room setup, induction, skin incision, 60 minutes after surgical incision, termination of extracorporeal circulation, emergence (drapes down), and transport.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At each data point (induction, emergence, termination of extracorporeal circulation, emergence [drapes down], and transport), noise levels were louder than the baseline reference at room setup, surgical skin incision, and 60 minutes into the surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The aim of this study was to compare the level of noise in the operating room at times determined critical for anesthesiologists compared with other surgical periods. This study consistently showed that noise in the operating room is louder during the critical anesthesia components of the case. Several studies have found that the loudest sound levels recorded in an operating room are related to the use of particular surgical tools, which are not used typically during the induction and emergence from anesthesia. This suggests that the increased sound levels during these periods may be somewhat controllable by the health care providers in the room.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, UMDNJ/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA. ginz1@optonline.net
authors.forename: Steven H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ginsberg
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pantin
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kraidin
authors.forename: Alann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Solina
authors.forename: Sahani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Panjwani
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000768:Anesthesia, General; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005112:Extracorporeal Circulation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D009623:Noise, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies