Propofol Concentration In The Ambient Air Of The Operating Room And In The Blood Of Anesthesia Care Providers

Study Summary

The pollution of the operating room environment by anesthetic agents had been questioned, studied and documented in the past. These investigations demonstrated the existence of teratogenic effects in animals and the possibility of a decrease in mental performance, reduced fertility, fetal loss, spontaneous abortion and addictive potential in humans with chronic exposure to trace amounts of anesthetic agents. These findings led to the establishment of exposure limits and industry standards by consumer protection agencies, such as National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). However, these standards applied to inhalation anesthetic agents that were excreted from the lungs of patients during expiration. These concerns about operating room pollution weaned away with the introduction of intravenous anesthetic agents, such as propofol, because it was believed propofol was excreted by systems other than the lungs. Recent research points to the contrary and demonstrates the excretion of propofol vapor in the expired gases of patients. Furthermore, animal experiments in our laboratory establish the existence of a biological mechanism responsible for addiction in animals exposed to trace amounts of propofol. We propose to study the exposure levels of anesthesia care providers in the operating room, during propofol use, under standardized conditions. Our findings will help to establish preventive measures for propofol addiction in anesthesia care providers.