EVERY BREATH
MATTERS

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Learn How Surgical Smoke Has Impacted the Lives of Nurses

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A partially closed hand full of 6 crumbled cigarettes
1 GRAM OF ESU ABLATED TISSUE
IS EQUIVALENT TO SMOKING
6 CIGARETTES2
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150 CHEMICALS3
found in surgical smoke including:

HEALTH
IMPACT
KEY

Lung
Damage

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Brain
Damage

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May Cause
Cancer

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Reproductive
Complications

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Heart
Damage

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BENZENE

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Cancer and Fetus icons

HYDROGEN
CYANIDE

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Brain and Heart icons

TOLUENE

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Brain, Heart and Fetus icons

FORMALDEHYDE

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Cancer and Lung icons

77%

of surgical smoke particles ARE NOT filtered out by standard surgical masks4

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ULPA FILTER

IS MORE EFFICIENT THAN HEPA

ULPA filter removes particles as small as 0.1 micron for an efficiency of 99.999%6

ULPA filter symbol

A HEPA filter only removes particles as small as 0.3 micron. Most viruses are small than 0.3 micron.6

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USE WITH AN ACTIVATED CARBON FILTER

Use a smoke evacuator system that uses a ULPA filter with an activated carbon filter when surgical smoke is anticipated.

When using a medical-surgical vacuum system, place an in-line ULPA filter with an activated carbon filter between the suction wall connector and the suction canister.

Explore CONMED’s Solutions Here

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16 STATES

have mandated smoke evacuation legislation and many more are voting on the issue.

US smoke legislation map

The choice is in your hands.

Nurse and Surgeon looking at each other in an OR setting

Nurses and surgical staff worldwide are taking a stand against exposure to surgical smoke.
YOU CAN JOIN THEM.
Education is a great place to start. Request a CE Course for you and your colleagues today.

1Steege AL, Boiano JM, Sweeney MH. Secondhand smoke in the operating room? Precautionary practices lacking for surgical smoke. Am J Ind Med. 2016;59(11):1020-1031.
2Sahaf, O., Vega-Carrascal, I., Cunningham, F., McGrath, J., Bloomfield, F., (2007). Chemical Composition of smoke produced by high-frequency electrosurgery. Irish Journal of Medical Science, DOI: 10.1007/si1845-007-0068-0
3Pierce JS, Lacey SE, Lippert JF, Lopez R, Franke JE. Laser-generated air contaminants from medical laser applications: a state-of-the-science review of exposure characterization, health effects, and control. J Occup Environ Hyg. 2011;8(7):447-466
4Liu Y, Song Y, Hu X, Yan L, Zhu X. Awareness of surgical smoke hazards and enhancement of surgical smoke prevention among the gynecologists. Journal of Cancer, 2019; 10(12):2788-2799
5Karjalainen M, Kontunen A, Saari S, Rönkkö T, Lekkala J, Roine A, Oksala N. The characterization of surgical smoke from various tissues and its implications for occupational safety. PLoS One. 2018 Apr 12;13(4):e0195274. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195274. PMID: 29649244; PMCID: PMC5896939
6Ingle, L. Thinking of Buying... A Surgical Smoke Evacuation System. Outpatient Surgery Magazine, Dec. 2005, https://ww-w.aorn.org/outpatient-surgery/articles/outpatient-surgery-magazine/2005/december/thinking-of-buying-surgical-smoke-evacuation-system