High-quality filtration allows reuse of anesthesia breathing circuits resulting in cost savings and reduced medical waste

Daggan, Ralph; Zefeiridis, Andreas; Steinberg, Dean; Larijani, Ghassem; Gratz, Irwin; Goldberg, Michael E

« Previous Next »Journal of Clinical Anesthesia
Volume 11, Issue 7 , Pages 536-539, November 1999

High-quality filtration allows reuse of anesthesia breathing circuits resulting in cost savings and reduced medical waste

Presented in part at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Orlando, FL, October 17–21, 1998.

Ralph Daggan, MS (CRNA)
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Cooper Health System, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, The Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden, Camden, NJ, USA
- Certified Registered Nurse-Anesthetist, Department of Anesthesiology, The Cooper Health System
Andreas Zefeiridis, PhD
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Cooper Health System, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, The Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden, Camden, NJ, USA
- Research Associate, Department of Anesthesiology, The Cooper Health System
Dean Steinberg, MD
- Department of Anesthesiology, Methodist Hospital Division, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Chairman, Department of Anesthesiology, Methodist Hospital Division, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Ghassem Larijani (PharmD)
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Cooper Health System, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, The Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden, Camden, NJ, USA
- Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; Director of Research and Anesthesiology, The Cooper Health System
Irwin Gratz (DO)
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Cooper Health System, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, The Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden, Camden, NJ, USA
- University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; Director of Cardiothoracic Anesthesia, The Cooper Health System
Michael E Goldberg, MD
- Professor of Anesthesiology, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; Chief, Department of Anesthesiology, The Cooper Health System
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Cooper Health System, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, The Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden, Camden, NJ, USA

Received 19 January 1999; received in revised form 2 June 1999; accepted 2 June 1999.

Abstract

Study Objectives: To determine if the new Filta-Therm® filter prevents contamination and allows the reuse of breathing circuit with considerable cost and environmental savings.

Design: Prospective study.

Patients: 52 ASA physical status I, II, III, and IV patients, aged 18 to 75 years.

Interventions: Each morning a new breathing circuit was assembled. The Filta-Therm® filter (Intersurgical, Inc., Liverpool, NY) elbow, and mask, but not the circuit, were changed between patients. The filter was placed between the Y-piece and the elbow of the breathing circuit. Prior to anesthesia, samples were obtained at the Y-piece, and the inspiratory and expiratory ports of breathing circuit. Following anesthesia, samples were obtained at the Murphy eye of endotrachael tube, and at the Y-piece. The samples were incubated, and the results examined at 24 and 48 hours.

Measurements and Main Results: Prior to anesthesia, cultures of the Y-piece and the inspired and expired ports samples showed no growth. Following anesthesia, all 52 samples obtained at the endotracheal tube were contaminated with various organisms, while all 52 Y-piece samples showed negative growth.

Conclusions: The single use of Filta-Therm® filter prevents bacterial contamination and allows reuse of breathing circuit at least twice, resulting in significant cost savings ($50,778 per year). Further studies are needed to establish the safety of reusing breathing circuits when appropriate bacterial filters are used.

Keywords: Infection, bacterial, breathing circuits, filters, medical waste