Abstract
Background As LEEP (Loop electrosurgical excision procedure) is being increasingly used for diagnosis and treatment of uterine cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, the surgical smoke during LEEP becomes an inevitable health issue.Therefore in this study, the exposure to chemical substances of surgical smoke produced during LEEP was assessed.Methods Smoke samples from patients with high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia undergoing LEEP were collected by smoke absorbing devices situated 1 meter away the operating table and near the nose of operator during LEEP, respectively. Each plume sample was collected after 5 patients proceeding LEEP and each patient take 5 min for smoke collection. The expected chemicals of exposure to surgical smoke includedbenzene, toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, styrene, butyl acetate, hendecane, acetone, acrylonitrile, 1,2-dichloroethane, phenol, chlorine, cyanide and hydrogen cyanide. Additionally,hazards classes of these chemical components were observed in International Agency for Research on Cancer.Results Qualitative analysis of the smoke produced during LEEP revealed the varieties of potentially toxic chemicals were under the standard detection, such as benzene, toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, styrene, butyl acetate, acrylonitrile, 1,2-dichloroethane, phenol, chlorine, cyanide and hydrogen cyanide. Additionally, the average concentrations of carbon dioxide were 0.098±0.015 during the surgery and higher than before the surgery (0.072±0.007), P <0.001, and formaldehyde was significantly higher during the surgery (0.023±0.009) than before it (0.012±0.001), P <0.05.Conclusions The most of detected chemicals in smoke generated during LEEP were under the exposure limits when local exhaust ventilation procedures were efficiently used. However, concentrations of carbon dioxide and formaldehyde found in the smoke were significantly higher after the surgery. To use evacuation devices routinely and consistently when performing LEEP was recommended to protect the perioperative personnel.
Treatment Outcomes of Patients With Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia or Invasive Carcinoma Who Underwent Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure
