Are there any medical pieces of equipment eg oxygen masks that shoould be avoided with isocyanate induced occupational asthma
I am an intensive care consultant who has been asked by my anaesthetic colleagues to assist them with a gentleman who may require intensive care following a hernia repair. He has been diagnosed with occupational asthma secondary to isocyanates. He is therfore retired on health groundsWe are hoping to carry out his surgery as soon as possible but we wondered if you had any information ergarding any medical equipment, devices or drugs which may exacerbate his condition or may contain isocyanates and therefore be contra indicated.
If you do not know, is there a drug or devices advisory group that could assist us.
Many thanks
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Allergy from isocyanates is from contact with free diisocyanate, which are used in the polymerisation of polyurethanes. It is possible to relese the free diisocyanate when polyurethanes are heated, I believe to temperatures over 100 degrees C and below the temperature where they break down to NCN and water. I dont think that this should be a problem during anaesthesia or intensive care and know of no patient with isocyanate asthma who has had a problem with anaesthesia related to isocyanate sensitivity.
As an aside we have seen anaesthetic staff who have developed occupational asthma from sevofluorane and isofluorane, but this is nothing to do with isocyanates. We have also seen occupational asthma from isocyanurates used in cleaning products, but again this is nothing to do with diisocyanates. Feedback from you after the operation would be helpful.
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