An inevitable element of every operating room is surgical smoke. Various investigations have proven that surgical smoke contains a significant amount of hazardous substances. Thus in certain countries, having a smoke evacuation system in operation during interventions that complies with national regulations on occupational health and safety is mandatory.
In the following webcast, PD Dr. Gregor Kocher, head of the thoracic surgery department at the University Hospital of Berne, Switzerland explains and demonstrates the use of surgical smoke evacuation in his daily routine. Although there has been little scientific evidence on the effects of smoke evacuation in the past, an evolving database demonstrates the importance of such systems in light of the fact that the existing protective options, such as FFP masks and laminar airflow, are insufficient. In a side-by-side comparison, Dr. Kocher shows what positive impact modern evacuation systems can have – and how they make a difference in his daily surgical routine in the operating room.