Chemical Risks in Modern Surgery: From Occupational Exposure to Patient Safety

Background

The modern operating room (OR) is a technologically advanced environment designed to deliver complex surgical interventions. However, it also functions as a concentrated chemical ecosystem where surgical personnel and patients are exposed to a wide spectrum of hazardous chemical agents. These include surgical smoke plumes generated by energy-based devices, waste anesthetic gases (WAGs), volatile monomer vapors such as methyl methacrylate (MMA), high-level disinfectants, antiseptics, and chemical leachables from intravascular and surgical devices.