Is Noise from Suctioning Harmful to Surgeon’s Hearing?

Publication date: Available online 25 February 2019

Source: Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Author(s): Mira Prabhakar, Yasmine Abdallah, Dennis Hanseman, Deepak Krishnan

Abstract

Purpose

A growing concern in the community of oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMSs) is the progressive hearing loss that has become more evident in older surgeons. Very few studies have focused on the effects on a surgeon's hearing based on their environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not the noise produced by suction, compared to federal guidelines, could have a damaging effect on the hearing of OMSs.

Materials and Methods

A CEM DT-8851 industrial high-accuracy digital sound noise level meter data logger was used to capture the sound intensities in various procedures. The sound meter was used to record the intensities of sound produced in decibels in the clinics and operating rooms. The analysis was divided into different variables: non-drilling/suction, suction, drilling, suction and drilling, suction and irrigation, and Yankauer suction.

Results

50 clinic and 50 operating room procedures were recorded, focusing on suction. The noise intensities captured were analyzed based on federal workplace standards. Compared to non-drilling/suction, all other noise exposures on average were greater in intensity and found to be statistically significant with p>0.0001. Both the maximum and minimum intensity recorded occurred during non-drilling/suction periods. It was found that noise intensities exceeded 85 dB only 0.04% of the time.

Conclusion

The hypothesis that suction noise intensity exceeded federal guidelines was not supported and therefore was not accepted. However, it cannot conclusively be said that surgeons are not experiencing hearing loss due to their work-related noise exposure. The extent to which OMSs are exposed to this type of setting could be the cause of their progressive hearing loss since federal guidelines are based on 8 hour workdays and 16 hours of being in a quiet environment. A longitudinal study following specific surgeons through a substantial period of time would perhaps be able to give more definitive results.

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