A new law that goes into effect on August first is one to increase safety in operating rooms so surgical smoke is properly removed from the rooms. It’s the smoke from burning flesh that presents the hazard. Executive director of the Louisiana State Nurses Association Ahnyel Burkes said the law requires that policies and procedures are in place.
“That’s when the smoke is generated during the surgery there is a process to evacuate the smoke safely from the operating room to protect patients and healthcare workers,” said Burkes.
Louisiana is the 12th state to enact surgical smoke legislation. Burkes said whenever skin, for example, is burned during a surgical procedure…
“And it aerosols the things that are being burned, blood, viruses, carcinogens are all in that smoke. There’s some research out there that shows that smoke is harmful,” said Burkes.
Burkes said a common procedure that generates surgical smoke is a c-section which is often performed after a mother has given birth.
“That smoke is being generated in the room that mom and baby can smell if the smoke evacuator is not being used,” said Burkes.
Burkes said the passage of the bill has also raised awareness about the dangers of surgical smoke.
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