Detecting hepatitis B virus in surgical smoke emitted during laparoscopic surgery
研究通过收集11例乙肝患者腹腔镜手术中的烟雾，用PCR检测发现其中10例存在乙肝病毒，提示手术烟雾可能成为空气传播途径。
<h3>Background</h3> Hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission is known to occur through direct contact with infected blood. There has been some suspicion that the virus can also be detected in aerosol form. However, this has never been directly shown. The purpose of this study was to sample and analyse surgical smoke from laparoscopic surgeries on patients with hepatitis B to determine whether HBV is present. <h3>Methods</h3> A total of 11 patients who underwent laparoscopic or robotic abdominal surgeries between October 2014 and February 2015 at Korea University Anam Hospital were included in this study. A high efficiency collector was used to obtain surgical smoke in the form of hydrosol. The smoke was analysed by using nested PCR. <h3>Results</h3> Robotic or laparoscopic colorectal resections were performed in 5 cases, laparoscopic gastrectomies in 3 cases and laparoscopic hepatic wedge resections in another 3 cases. Preoperatively, all of the patients had positive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). 2 patients had detectable HBsAb, and 2 were positive for hepatitis B e antigen. 3 patients were taking antihepatitis B viral medications at the time of the study. The viral load measured in the patients’ blood was undetectable to 1.7×10<sup>8</sup> IU/mL. HBV was detected in surgical smoke in 10 of the 11 cases. <h3>Conclusions</h3> HBV is detectable in surgical smoke. This study provides preliminary data in the investigation of airborne HBV infection.