PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Phil Vourtzoumis
AU  - Nawar Alkhamesi
AU  - Ahmad Elnahas
AU  - Jeffrey E. Hawel
AU  - Christopher Schlachta
TI  - Operating during COVID-19: Is there a risk of viral transmission from surgical smoke during surgery?
AID  - 10.1503/cjs.007020
DP  - 2020 Jun 01
TA  - Canadian Journal of Surgery
PG  - E299--E301
VI  - 63
IP  - 3
4099  - http://canjsurg.ca/content/63/3/E299.short
4100  - http://canjsurg.ca/content/63/3/E299.full
SO  - CAN J SURG2020 Jun 01; 63
AB  - The World Health Organization declared a pandemic when coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) started to sweep the globe. Growing concerns for the safety of health care workers was raised when up to 80% of people with COVID-19 showed mild or no symptoms at all. Some surgical procedures will be inevitable during the pandemic, and proper safety measures must be in place to avoid transmission risks. Surgical smoke is a common by-product from the use of energy devices in the operating room. The effects of surgical smoke have been studied for more than 40 years, and potential health hazards have been reported. Chemicals, carcinogens and biologically active materials, such as bacteria and viruses, have been isolated in surgical smoke. To ensure the safety of operating room personnel, we must consider whether there is any concern of viral transmission from the inhalation of surgical smoke.