GENETIC DAMAGE IN OPERATING ROOM PERSONNEL EXPOSED TO ANAESTHETIC GASES
Abstract
Background. Whether the anaesthetic gases are hazardous to the operating room personnel is controversial. The aim of this study was to estimate their genetic damage using the method of sister chromatid exchanges in personnel working at one Slovenian hospital.
Methods. Two subgroups of operating room personnel, non-smokers, female were included in the study: subgroup A (seven subjects) who were co-operating daily with inhalations anaesthetic gases during operations and subgroup B (six control subjects) who were seldom co-operating with the same gases. Monthly and yearly doses of received ionising radiation (IR) were measured on five subjects in the control subgroup, by thermo-luminous dosimeter one month before medical examination.
Interview was used to obtain information about personal and family disease and working environment. Neurophysiological symptoms were revealed with Finnish Institute of Occupational Medicine.
The exchanges of DNA material of a chromosome was evaluated by counting the number of sister chromatid exchanges in 50 methaphases per probe.
Results. The subgroups were of equal age. Subgroup A subjects had 18 years of working experience while those from subgroup B had 20 years. Subgroup A subjects participated at six anaesthetic procedures per day (on average) and those from subgroup B at five.
Five subjects of control subgroup B, who works in operating room for orthopaedic and injures room, received yearly dose of 0.14 mSv on average and cumulative dose of 3.8 mSv (permited effected equivalent dose is 50 mSv per year). Their mediane value of sister chromatid exchanges was 6.7/cell while on the five subjects of subgroup A that were not exposed to IS, was 7.2/cell.
The average mean value of SCE for both subgroups was 7.2 and that is higher than the reference value of non-exposed population in Slovenia (6.5 ± 0.7). The mediane value of SCE for subgroup A was higher (7.5/cell) than for the subgroup B (6.7/cell), but the difference was not statistically significant (Wilcoxon test of sum of ranks).
Conclusions. The mediane value in operating room personnel where inhalations anaesthetics gases were mostly used was higher than the reference value of non-exposed population in Slovenia. The monitoring of anaesthetic gases and a proper air conditioning represents a preferable practice prior to a periodical evaluation of SCE.
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References
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