• Jennifer Herzog-Niescery, Heike Vogelsang, Martin Bellgardt, Hans-Martin Seipp, Thomas P Weber, and Philipp Gude.
• J. Perianesth. Nurs. 2019 Jun 1; 34 (3): 606-613.

PurposeRoom ventilation in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) is often poor, although patients exhale anesthetic gases. We investigated the PACU personnel's environmental and biological sevoflurane (SEVO) burden during patient care.DesignProspective, observational study.MethodsAir pollution was measured by photoacoustic gas monitoring in the middle of the PACU, above the patient's face, and on the PACU corridor. Urinary SEVO and hexafluoroisopropanol concentrations were determined.FindingsMean air pollution was 0.34 ± 0.07 ppm in the middle of the PACU, 0.56 ± 0.17 ppm above the patient's face, and 0.47 ± 0.06 ppm on the corridor. Biological preshift exposure levels were 0.13 ± 0.03 mcg/L (SEVO) and 4.72 ± 5.41 mcg/L (hexafluoroisopropanol). Postshift concentrations increased significantly to 0.20 ± 0.06 mcg/L (P = .004) and 42.18 ± 27.82 mcg/L (P < .001).ConclusionsPACU personnel were environmentally and biologically exposed to SEVO, but exposure levels were minimal according to current recommendations.Copyright © 2018 American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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