Breathing zone concentrations of methylmethacrylate monomer during joint replacement operations

By use of a methylmethacrylate (MMA) Dräger tube and bellow bump, the breathing zone concentrations of MMA monomer were measured for the operating surgeon during cementation of the components of hip and knee joint prostheses. The highest recordings (50-100 p.p.m.) were encountered during cementation of the acetabular cups with conventional polymethylmethacrylate cement. Such exposure could be eliminated by the use of personal protection equipment, local punctual field suction or change to a MMA/n-decylmethacrylate/isobornylmethacrylate bone cement.