Laser Plume Injuries in Hospitals and Outpatient Surgery Centers
Hospital workers and outpatient surgery employees who are involved in surgical procedures can sustain harm from a particular kind of injury that others in the health care industry are not exposed to on a routine basis. Specifically, members of a surgical team can be exposed to something known as a laser or electrosurgery plume, which is a smoke byproduct that results from certain kinds of surgical procedures. What is an electrosurgery plume, what are the injury risks, and what kinds of health care employees are typically exposed to this type of harm? Our Maryland health care worker injury lawyers can explain in more detail.
What is a Laser or Electrosurgery Plume?
What is a laser or electrosurgery plume? According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), “during surgical procedures that use a laser or electrosurgical unit, the thermal destruction of tissue creates a smoke byproduct.” It is that smoke byproduct that is known as the laser or electrosurgery plume.
These types of plumes “have contents similar to other smoke plumes,” OSHA clarifies, “including carbon monoxide, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and a variety of trace toxic gases.” In addition, because of how this particular type of smoke byproduct is produced, there is also a “potential for generating infectious viral fragments, particularly following treatment of veneral warts.” OSHA does not currently have specific recommendations in place for preventing laser or electrosurgery plume injuries altogether, but OSHA does recommend “local smoke evacuation systems” to limit exposure.
What types of surgical procedures can produce this type of smoke byproduct? It will depend on the particular patient and the surgeon’s approach, but both laser surgeries and electrosurgeries can produce these plumes. Laser surgeries are common in dermatology, ophthalmology, gynecology, and oncology. Electrosurgeries are common in general surgery, dermatology, and procedures related to the ear, nose, and throat.
Types of Harm About Surgical Team Workers
Who is at risk of this type of injury, and what kind of harm usually results? According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, a surgical team usually comprises a surgeon, anesthesiologist, certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), operating room nurse or circulating nurse, surgical technical, residents or medical students, physician assistants (PAs), and even medical device company representatives in some circumstances.
What type of harm results from exposure to laser or electrosurgery plumes? OSHA indicates that harm can range from temporary respiratory irritation to serious respiratory diseases and the transmission of infectious disease.
Contact Our Maryland Hospital Worker Injury Lawyers Today for Help with Your Claim
If you were harmed because of a laser or electrosurgery plume, it is important to find out about seeking workers’ compensation benefits. This type of smoke exposure can be very dangerous and can result in a range of health issues. To find out more about your options for medical coverage and wage replacement benefits, you should get in touch with one of the experienced Maryland hospital worker injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Steinhardt, Siskind and Lieberman, LLC. We can discuss the details of your work injury with you and help you to seek workers’ compensation benefits. Contact us today for assistance with your case.
Sources:
osha.gov/laser-electrosurgery-plume
hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/the-surgical-team
