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Prevention of Fire Hazards Associated with Use of Carbon Dioxide Lasers

Kirit F. Patel, MD, FFARCS (Eng)^*, and Julius N. Hicks, MD

*Assistant Professor. Current appointment: Chief, Anesthesia Department, Shelby Medical Center, Alabaster, Alabama, Departments of Anesthesiology and Otolar-yngoIogy, The University of Alabama Medical Center, Birming- ham, Alabama. Clinical Professor, Departments of Anesthesiology and Otolar-yngoIogy, The University of Alabama Medical Center, Birming- ham, Alabama.

Abstract

In vitro experiments were performed to test the flammability of endotracheal tubes in the presence of CO₂ laser beams. Two types of tubes (Rusch and Portex) were exposed to laser beams at 15 or 30 W intensity for varying periods of time in oxygen environments of 25% or 60%. Red rubber Rusch tubes were significantly (p < 0.01) more resistant to ignition than plastic Portex tubes at both higher energy exposures and greater durations of exposure. Aluminum tape wrapping significantly (p < 0.01) retarded ignition of both types of tubes. In view of this, a clinical protocol was developed using aluminum tape-wrapped red rubber tubes in 98 patients for 189 procedures requiring the use of a laser. In no case was ignition encountered.

Key Words: ANESTHETIC TECHNIQUES: laser surgery; • ENDOTRACHEAL TUBES: flammability; • SURGERY: laryngoscopy.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. E. Arnold and A. L. Allphin Effect of Extraluminal Oxygen on Carbon Dioxide Laser Ignition of Endotracheal Tubes Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, July 1, 1992; 118(7): 722 - 724. [Abstract] [PDF]

Anesthesia & Analgesia® is published for the International Anesthesia Research Society® by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins with the assistance of Stanford University Libraries' HighWire Press®. Copyright 2006 by the International Anesthesia Research Society. Online ISSN: 1526-7598   Print ISSN: 0003-2999