光学視管先端からの非接触光線照射により熱傷を来たした症例と模擬実験からの提言

抄録

　We experienced a case of thermal injury caused by the continuous irradiation of non-contact light of a laparoscope during ovarian cystectomy. A burn hole was noticed at the end of operation, and the burn injury was about 1 cm in diameter and located at the right iliac crest. The injury was diagnosed as a third-degree burn and required plastic surgery for treatment. The video review confirmed that the cause was a non-contact continuous light beam of a laparoscope; the light was placed on the patient's body at the injury site during the abdominal procedure to pull out specimens through a trocar hole.

　In relation to this case, we carried out simulations on the temperature due to contact and non-contact Xenon and LED light beams used in laparoscopes. According to the results, we recommend that the intensity level of the light source unit should be set within 60% to prevent contact thermal injury due to the laparoscope's end and that the ends of the light cable and laparoscope should be kept 15 and 10 mm away, respectively, from the operation drape to prevent non-contact thermal injury.

　Furthermore, it is contraindicated to keep the laparoscope on the patient.