This study; It was planned to (1) determine the effect of surgical smoke on indoor air quality and (2) examine its effect on physical symptoms and throat culture results in operating room employees and compare it with those working in internal units.

Background:This study is a experimental study. The aim of this study is; to determine the effect of surgical smoke containing toxic chemicals on indoor air quality and to examine the physical symptoms of employees in the operating room.

Method:It was carried out in general surgery operating room between June 2020 and July 2020 In the study, 45 air samples were taken from the with active sampling method before, during and after surgery. Physical complaints of 19 people working in the operating room were asked and throat cultures were taken before and after surgery. These results were compared with those working in internal units. Data were analyzed using a statistics program.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Health workers in operating room

Exclusion Criteria:

• those with chronic diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Asthma

Health workers in hospital

STUDY PROTOCOL Data collection process

Determining the effect of surgical smoke on air quality Taking air samples in the general surgery operating room (n: 45)

1. Example: 45 minutes before the start of the operation
2. Example: 45 minutes from the beginning of the skin incision
3. Example: 45 minutes after the operations are over

Determination of Physical Symptoms Caused by Surgical Smoke on Employees and Comparison

Physicians and nurses in internal units control group(n: 20)

Information Form Throat culture

Case group (n: 19) Physicians and nurses exposed to surgical smoke in the general surgery operating room

1. Before starting the operation Information form Throat culture
2. After the surgery is over Information Form Throat culture

When article is published in the journal

Article is published in the journal