Ambient Sound Pressure Levels in the Bronchoscopy Suite: Contrasting Flexible, Rigid, and Robotic-Assisted...

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Medical Acoustics
• Healthcare Engineering

Background:

• Operating room noise poses risks for patients and providers.
• Recommended medical sound levels are 35-45 dB(A).
• Bronchoscopy procedures generate significant noise levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify sound pressure levels during various bronchoscopy procedures.
• To compare noise levels across flexible, rigid, and robotic bronchoscopy.
• To assess compliance with medical noise guidelines.

Main Methods:

• Continuous sound pressure level measurements using sound meters.
• Classification of procedures as "loud" or "quiet" based on median equivalent continuous sound pressure level (Leq).
• Logistic regression analysis to determine associations between procedure type and noise level.

Main Results:

• 186 bronchoscopy procedures were analyzed.
• Median sound pressure level (Leq) across all procedures was 56.8 dB(A), exceeding recommended limits.
• Rigid bronchoscopy showed higher noise levels compared to flexible, while robotic bronchoscopy was quieter.

Conclusions:

• Bronchoscopy noise levels consistently exceed medical guidelines.
• Rigid bronchoscopy is associated with higher noise, robotic with lower.
• Further investigation into noise effects and preventive measures is warranted.