[Pollution of operating rooms. Measurements made during five anesthesias]

The purpose of this study is to measure amounts of anaesthetic vapours present in operating rooms and anaesthetic places without any gas scavenging system except air conditioning with fifteen air changes per hour. Nitrous oxide, halothane and isoflurane were measured. Halothane and isoflurane concentration is slightly higher than the French standard for anaesthetic places and lower for operating rooms. Nitrous oxide concentration is five to eight times greater than recommended standard. Although no international agreement exists concerning an acceptable pollution standard, it seems that only nitrous oxide pollution is disquieting. It would seem sensible to avoid needles contamination by use of waste gas scavenging devices.