A new study suggests invasive medical procedures may be an overlooked route of microplastics exposure, raising concerns about potential health risks. Minute particles of plastic (called microplastics) are everywhere. They’ve been found in our water, in our food, and in the air we breathe, according to a 2021 scientific review. Just a year later, another study found microplastics in the human bloodstream. Now, in what researchers are calling a first, microplastics have been detected in the heart tissues of individuals who underwent cardiac surgery.

According to the author of the research, the detection of microplastics in vivo is alarming, and more studies are necessary to investigate how the microparticles enter the cardiac tissues and the potential effects of microplastics on long-term prognosis after cardiac surgery. The author and his team used direct infrared imaging, and identified 20 to 500 micrometer-wide particles made from eight types of plastic. The scientists also found plastic particles in blood samples collected from participants. They added that “microplastics are highly likely to distribute in various organs throughout the body.”

A fraction of the plastic pieces identified had a diameter too large to likely enter the body through inhalation or ingestion, according to the analysis. This indicated that the heart operation itself may permit direct access of microplastics to the bloodstream and tissues. The researchers cited previous scientific investigation showing that microplastics have been detected in the air in operating rooms and could directly enter a patient whose organs are exposed to the air during surgery.

Such large particles may also come from equipment and materials used in a heart operation, including surgical incision protective film, intravenous therapy bags, tubing, and syringes. The types of plastics detected might also offer evidence that microplastics could be introduced during surgery, which may raise the risk of heart disease.

Internet: <www.everydayhealth.com> (adapted).