ArticleThe Journal of hospital infection2021
Detection of human coronavirus RNA in surgical smoke generated by surgical devices.
Article in The Journal of hospital infection, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- Virus and viral components transmitted through surgical smoke; a silent danger in operating room: a systematic review.BMC surgery · 2024Pooled it
- Viral load of SARS-CoV-2 in surgical smoke in minimally invasive and open surgery: a single-center prospective clinical trial.Scientific reports · 2023Trial
- Empowering precision public health control: a robust intelligent mask-wearing monitoring framework for complex crowd scenarios.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Absence of bladder cancer cells in surgical smoke from robot-assisted radical cystectomy: a prospective study.Frontiers in urology · 2026Article
- Methods used for smoke evacuation in laparoendoscopic surgery: a technical review.Surgery today · 2025Review
- Surgical smoke and its components, effects, and mitigation: a contemporary review.Toxicological sciences : an official journal of the Society of Toxicology · 2024Review
- Surgical smoke: a matter of hygiene, toxicology, and occupational health.GMS hygiene and infection control · 2024Review
- Removal of a Giant Cyst of the Left Ovary from a Pregnant Woman in the First Trimester by Laparoscopic Surgery under Spinal Anesthesia during the COVID-19 Pandemic.Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
- Laparoscopy in Gynecologic and Abdominal Surgery in Regional (Spinal, Peridural) Anesthesia, the Utility of the Technique during COVID-19 Pandemic.Medicines (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Review
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundGaseous by-products generated by surgical devices - collectively referred to as 'surgical smoke' - present the hazard of transmitting infective viruses from patients to surgical teams. However, insufficient evidence exists to evaluate and mitigate the risks of SARS-CoV-2 transmission via surgical smoke.
aimTo demonstrate the existence and infectivity of human coronavirus RNA in surgical smoke using a model experiment and to evaluate the possibility of lowering transmission risk by filtration through a surgical mask.
methodsPelleted HeLa-ACE2-TMPRSS2 cells infected with human coronavirus were incised by electric scalpel and ultrasonic scalpel, separately. A vacuum system was used to obtain surgical smoke in the form of hydrosol. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to analyse samples for the presence of viral RNA, and infectivity was determined through plaque assay. Furthermore, a surgical mask was placed centrally in the vacuum line to evaluate its ability to filter viral RNA present in the surgical smoke.
findingsIn this model, 1/10
conclusionThis study demonstrated that surgical smoke may carry human coronavirus, though viral infectivity was considerably reduced. In clinical settings, surgical mask filtration should provide sufficient additional protection against potential coronavirus, including SARS-CoV-2, infection facilitated by surgical smoke.
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Registered trials
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