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Mask provides effective, cheap protection from hazardous electrocautery plumes
CHICAGO – Routine use of an N95 mask during electrocautery is an effective and inexpensive way for dermatologic surgeons to protect themselves from toxic, airborne particulate matter in the smoke generated during the procedure, Emily de Golian, MD, said at the annual meeting of the American College of Mohs Surgery.
“Our data suggest clear as well as superiority to the laser masks that are used in hair removal procedures and ablative procedures in cosmetic clinics,” commented Dr. de Golian, a Mohs micrographic surgery fellow at the University of California, San Diego.
This matter of self-protection from the effects of electrocautery smoke plumes deserves greater attention from the dermatologic community, according to Dr. de Golian. There is solid evidence that these plumes contain high concentrations of known carcinogens, including benzene, acetonitrile, and butadiene – indeed, concentrations far in excess of what’s found in second-hand cigarette smoke. Moreover, many of these airborne carcinogens and other toxins have been linked to leukemia, neurologic disorders, lung cancer, thrombotic disorders, lung disease, and infectious disease transmission, albeit not convincingly so to date in dermatologic surgeons. But why wait for definitive evidence to accrue?
“In light of these hazards – and according to governmental guidelines – dermatologic surgeons would be wise to adopt protective measures during surgical procedures,” Dr. de Golian said.
But they haven’t. She cited a national survey conducted several years ago by a colleague in which 79% of the 316 responding dermatologic surgeons indicated they use no smoke management whatsoever, neither masks nor a local exhaust evacuation system. Only 10% employed smoke management 25%-50% of the time during electrocautery, and a scant 11% of dermatologic surgeons did so at least 75% of the time (Dermatol Surg. 2014 Dec;40[12]:1373-7).
Given the far more substantial expense of installing an office smoke evacuation system, mask filtration becomes an attractive alternative. But the relative efficacy of the various types of masks in blocking fine and ultrafine particulate matter contained in electrocautery plumes hadn’t previously been systematically studied. This created the impetus for Dr. de Golian’s study.
The N95 masks were the clear winner, particularly when it came to filtering the ultrafine particles, which are of greatest concern because they remain suspended in air longer and penetrate deeper into the respiratory tract than larger particles. The N95 masks proved superior to procedural masks, which in turn were significantly more effective than the laser masks. The differences between mask performance for larger particle filtration were smaller, although the N95 remained number one. She noted that the study results probably underestimate the true filtration efficacy of N95 masks, since they form a tighter seal with the face in clinical practice than with the other two mask types.
Mask self-protection “is easily applicable in your own practice, and it meets NIOSH-recommended [National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health] standards for safety in the workplace,” the dermatologist noted.
In the next phase of her research, she plans to evaluate the optimal technology and techniques of smoke evacuation in the surgical suite. That’s an attractive method because it protects everyone in the room, not just the surgeon. And while the practitioner survey indicates this technology isn’t widely used by dermatologic surgeons on a routine basis at present, that could change, particularly in the current era in which patient-reported outcomes and satisfaction surveys have taken on added weight.
“Patients prefer not smelling their own tissue burning,” Dr. de Golian said.
She reported no financial conflicts regarding her study, which was conducted free of commercial support.
CHICAGO – Routine use of an N95 mask during electrocautery is an effective and inexpensive way for dermatologic surgeons to protect themselves from toxic, airborne particulate matter in the smoke generated during the procedure, Emily de Golian, MD, said at the annual meeting of the American College of Mohs Surgery.
“Our data suggest clear as well as superiority to the laser masks that are used in hair removal procedures and ablative procedures in cosmetic clinics,” commented Dr. de Golian, a Mohs micrographic surgery fellow at the University of California, San Diego.
This matter of self-protection from the effects of electrocautery smoke plumes deserves greater attention from the dermatologic community, according to Dr. de Golian. There is solid evidence that these plumes contain high concentrations of known carcinogens, including benzene, acetonitrile, and butadiene – indeed, concentrations far in excess of what’s found in second-hand cigarette smoke. Moreover, many of these airborne carcinogens and other toxins have been linked to leukemia, neurologic disorders, lung cancer, thrombotic disorders, lung disease, and infectious disease transmission, albeit not convincingly so to date in dermatologic surgeons. But why wait for definitive evidence to accrue?
“In light of these hazards – and according to governmental guidelines – dermatologic surgeons would be wise to adopt protective measures during surgical procedures,” Dr. de Golian said.
But they haven’t. She cited a national survey conducted several years ago by a colleague in which 79% of the 316 responding dermatologic surgeons indicated they use no smoke management whatsoever, neither masks nor a local exhaust evacuation system. Only 10% employed smoke management 25%-50% of the time during electrocautery, and a scant 11% of dermatologic surgeons did so at least 75% of the time (Dermatol Surg. 2014 Dec;40[12]:1373-7).
Given the far more substantial expense of installing an office smoke evacuation system, mask filtration becomes an attractive alternative. But the relative efficacy of the various types of masks in blocking fine and ultrafine particulate matter contained in electrocautery plumes hadn’t previously been systematically studied. This created the impetus for Dr. de Golian’s study.
The N95 masks were the clear winner, particularly when it came to filtering the ultrafine particles, which are of greatest concern because they remain suspended in air longer and penetrate deeper into the respiratory tract than larger particles. The N95 masks proved superior to procedural masks, which in turn were significantly more effective than the laser masks. The differences between mask performance for larger particle filtration were smaller, although the N95 remained number one. She noted that the study results probably underestimate the true filtration efficacy of N95 masks, since they form a tighter seal with the face in clinical practice than with the other two mask types.
Mask self-protection “is easily applicable in your own practice, and it meets NIOSH-recommended [National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health] standards for safety in the workplace,” the dermatologist noted.
In the next phase of her research, she plans to evaluate the optimal technology and techniques of smoke evacuation in the surgical suite. That’s an attractive method because it protects everyone in the room, not just the surgeon. And while the practitioner survey indicates this technology isn’t widely used by dermatologic surgeons on a routine basis at present, that could change, particularly in the current era in which patient-reported outcomes and satisfaction surveys have taken on added weight.
“Patients prefer not smelling their own tissue burning,” Dr. de Golian said.
She reported no financial conflicts regarding her study, which was conducted free of commercial support.
CHICAGO – Routine use of an N95 mask during electrocautery is an effective and inexpensive way for dermatologic surgeons to protect themselves from toxic, airborne particulate matter in the smoke generated during the procedure, Emily de Golian, MD, said at the annual meeting of the American College of Mohs Surgery.
“Our data suggest clear as well as superiority to the laser masks that are used in hair removal procedures and ablative procedures in cosmetic clinics,” commented Dr. de Golian, a Mohs micrographic surgery fellow at the University of California, San Diego.
This matter of self-protection from the effects of electrocautery smoke plumes deserves greater attention from the dermatologic community, according to Dr. de Golian. There is solid evidence that these plumes contain high concentrations of known carcinogens, including benzene, acetonitrile, and butadiene – indeed, concentrations far in excess of what’s found in second-hand cigarette smoke. Moreover, many of these airborne carcinogens and other toxins have been linked to leukemia, neurologic disorders, lung cancer, thrombotic disorders, lung disease, and infectious disease transmission, albeit not convincingly so to date in dermatologic surgeons. But why wait for definitive evidence to accrue?
“In light of these hazards – and according to governmental guidelines – dermatologic surgeons would be wise to adopt protective measures during surgical procedures,” Dr. de Golian said.
But they haven’t. She cited a national survey conducted several years ago by a colleague in which 79% of the 316 responding dermatologic surgeons indicated they use no smoke management whatsoever, neither masks nor a local exhaust evacuation system. Only 10% employed smoke management 25%-50% of the time during electrocautery, and a scant 11% of dermatologic surgeons did so at least 75% of the time (Dermatol Surg. 2014 Dec;40[12]:1373-7).
Given the far more substantial expense of installing an office smoke evacuation system, mask filtration becomes an attractive alternative. But the relative efficacy of the various types of masks in blocking fine and ultrafine particulate matter contained in electrocautery plumes hadn’t previously been systematically studied. This created the impetus for Dr. de Golian’s study.
The N95 masks were the clear winner, particularly when it came to filtering the ultrafine particles, which are of greatest concern because they remain suspended in air longer and penetrate deeper into the respiratory tract than larger particles. The N95 masks proved superior to procedural masks, which in turn were significantly more effective than the laser masks. The differences between mask performance for larger particle filtration were smaller, although the N95 remained number one. She noted that the study results probably underestimate the true filtration efficacy of N95 masks, since they form a tighter seal with the face in clinical practice than with the other two mask types.
Mask self-protection “is easily applicable in your own practice, and it meets NIOSH-recommended [National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health] standards for safety in the workplace,” the dermatologist noted.
In the next phase of her research, she plans to evaluate the optimal technology and techniques of smoke evacuation in the surgical suite. That’s an attractive method because it protects everyone in the room, not just the surgeon. And while the practitioner survey indicates this technology isn’t widely used by dermatologic surgeons on a routine basis at present, that could change, particularly in the current era in which patient-reported outcomes and satisfaction surveys have taken on added weight.
“Patients prefer not smelling their own tissue burning,” Dr. de Golian said.
She reported no financial conflicts regarding her study, which was conducted free of commercial support.
REPORTING FROM THE ACMS ANNUAL MEETING
Key clinical point: Electrocautery smoke is bad news, and wearing an N95 mask affords protection.
Major finding: The N95 mask was significantly more effective than basic procedural or laser masks at filtering particulate matter less than 1 mcm in size contained in electrocautery smoke.
Study details: This study utilized highly sensitive airborne particle counting devices to assess the relative protective filtration afforded by three types of masks.
Disclosures: The presenter reported no financial conflicts regarding this study, which was conducted free of commercial support.