Das Gesundheitswesen
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Das Gesundheitswesen · Oct 1998
[Maternal protection law and exposure of personnel in the recovery room and surgical intensive care unit by inhalation anesthetics].
According to Section 4 of the German maternity law (MuSchG), pregnant and nursing women are not allowed to work in places where they may be exposed to hazardous gases. Due to MuSchG these women are often effered work in the recovery room (RR) and the surgical intensive-care unit (ICU). The present study examined the occupational exposure in the RR and the ICU to nitrous oxide, isoflurane and the new volatile agents desflurane and sevoflurane in accordance with the German work place safety and maternity laws. ⋯ To reduce the working-place concentrations below the legal threshold it is necessary to use local scavenging devices in addition to appropriate ventilation systems. According to our data, pregnant and nursing women should not be allowed to work in the RR or to nurse mechanically ventilated patients after surgery in the ICU.