An examination of exposure to anesthetic gases at operating room and recovery unit personnel by micronuclei method

An examination of exposure to anesthetic gases at operating room and recovery unit personnel by buccal micronuclei methodNowadays besides of only removing surgical pain, the anesthetic materials are often used out-of operating room implementations like pain management, intensive care, reanimation units and recovery units. The personnel who worked in operating room and recovery units, if they work in a condition that there is not any appropriate ventilating system, they also are exposed to these anesthetic gases a long time.To this study included of High Expertise Training and Research Hospital 34 (26 women, 8 men) operating room personnel with a 32,88 ±6.05 average of age who thought that they have potential to be exposed to waste anesthetic gases, which used widespreadly during inhalation anesthesia like Nitrous oxide, Desfluran and Sevofluran, and 12 health personnel (11 women, 1 man) who work in recovery units with a 31,08 ±4.29 average of age. As a control group also we collaborated with 22 health personnel who work in the same hospital but in different units and at similar age groups.All persons who participated to the study, of their buccal epithelial samples were taken and the micronuclei method was implemented. When compared the MN frequencies of operating room and control group, the statistical difference meaningfully was founded high (p=0.33). When compared as for the MN frequencies of Recovery and Control groups, then it was not observed a meaningfully difference. (MN frequency of control 0,45 ± 1,01; MN frequency of recovery 0,75 ± 1,14, p>0.05). The MN frequencies of control group when they compared by age with the MN frequencies of Operating room personnel, then the difference was founded statistically meaningful (p= 0,028). Also the age, sex, smoking status and duration of exposure parameters when they compared separately in every group with the MN frequencies, then was not observed statistically meaningful a difference (p>0.05).In conclusion, our results suggest that occupational exposure to the mixture of anesthetic gases (nitrous oxide, sevoflurane and desflurane) induce increases in the level of chromosomal damage in operating room and recovery unit personnel by buccal micronuclei method. However, to reveal the effects of chronic exposure to anesthetic gases, it is needed to support it with making more detailed and comprehensive studies.Keywords: Waste anesthetic gases, operating room and recovery unit personel, micronuclei test, buccal epithelial cells