Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Noise pollution in the operating theatre.

B Hodge1, J F Thompson

  • 1Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia.

Lancet (London, England)
|April 14, 1990
PubMed
Summary

Operating theatre noise levels, particularly from equipment like suckers and alarms, frequently exceed safe limits, disrupting critical communication during surgery. These high sound levels, often above 108 dB, impair speech intelligibility and staff concentration.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Mohs micrographic surgery for the treatment of invasive melanoma: A systematic review with meta-analyses.

Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV·2024
Same author

Regarding sentinel lymph node biopsy in younger and older patients.

Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV·2024
Same author

Five-year analysis of neoadjuvant dabrafenib and trametinib for stage III melanoma.

Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology·2024
Same author

Harold Gillies, pioneer of modern plastic surgery, and Donald Morton, pioneer of modern surgical oncology: Master problem-solvers and surgical role models.

Journal of plastic, reconstructive & aesthetic surgery : JPRAS·2023
Same author

Representativeness of initial skin biopsies showing pure desmoplastic melanoma: implications for management.

Pathology·2023
Same author

Hypofractionated or Conventionally Fractionated Adjuvant Radiotherapy After Regional Lymph Node Dissection for High-Risk Stage III Melanoma.

Clinical oncology (Royal College of Radiologists (Great Britain))·2022

Area of Science:

  • Healthcare acoustics
  • Surgical environment safety

Background:

  • Operating theatres are critical environments where clear communication is essential.
  • Excessive noise can negatively impact patient safety and healthcare worker performance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To measure sound levels in a typical major operation.
  • To identify primary sources of noise pollution in the operating theatre.
  • To assess the impact of noise on communication and concentration.

Main Methods:

  • Sound levels were measured during a typical major operation.
  • Noise sources were identified and quantified.
  • Speech interference levels were assessed.

Main Results:

  • Overall sound levels were within recommended limits, but intermittent noises reached up to 108 dB.
  • Sources of loud noise included suckers, intercoms, and anaesthetic monitoring device alarms.
  • Noise levels during surgery significantly exceeded normal speech levels, often exceeding preferred speech interference levels.
  • Background conversation further disrupted communication and concentration.

Conclusions:

  • Despite overall acceptable levels, specific equipment generates hazardous noise peaks in operating theatres.
  • High noise levels and background conversations impede critical communication and concentration.
  • Addressing noise sources is crucial for improving the operating theatre environment and ensuring patient safety.

Related Experiment Videos