Exposure of operating personnel to inhalational anaesthetics in paediatric surgery

Summary High flows of halothane and N2O are commonly used in children during induction of anaesthesia. We prospectively evaluated the efficiency of a double mask system in children, during inhalational induction with photoacoustic infrared spectroscopy. Thirty‐two children 5 days to 8.5 years of age were studied. Anaesthesia was induced with inspired halothane concentrations of 2–3% and N2O 50–70% in 6–8 litres of freshgas flow via a Jackson‐Rees breathing system. Children were randomly assigned into two groups. Anaesthesia was induced in group 1 using a Rendell‐Baker mask with a regular scavenging device (25 1·min−1). In group II a double‐mask system was connected to an active scavenging system (580 1 min−1). Halothane and N2O were measured at 10 cm below the chin of the anaesthesiologist. We could demonstrate that the use of double‐mask system with a regular scavenging device substantially reduced the exposure of the anaesthesiologist to halothane by 89% and to N2O 80% respectively during inhalational induction.