Abstract
Surgical wound contamination leading to surgical site infection can result from disruption of the intended airflow in the operating room (OR). When personnel enter and exit the OR, or create unnecessary movement and traffic during the procedure, the intended airflow in the vicinity of the open wound becomes disrupted and does not adequately remove airborne contaminants from the sterile field. An increase in the bacterial counts of airborne microorganisms is noted during increased activity levels within the OR. Researchers have studied OR traffic and door openings as a determinant of air contamination. During a surgical procedure the door to the operating room may be open as long as 20 minutes out of each surgical hour during critical procedures involving implants. Interventions into limiting excessive movement and traffic in the OR may lead to reductions in surgical site infections in select populations.
Keywords: Traffic, laminar airflow, door openings, surgical site infection, wound contamination, cardiac surgery, and orthopedic implant surgery.
Infectious Disorders - Drug Targets
Title:Traffic in the Operating Room: A Review of Factors Influencing Air Flow and Surgical Wound Contamination.
Volume: 13 Issue: 3
Author(s): Marian Pokrywka and Karin Byers
Affiliation:
Keywords: Traffic, laminar airflow, door openings, surgical site infection, wound contamination, cardiac surgery, and orthopedic implant surgery.
Abstract: Surgical wound contamination leading to surgical site infection can result from disruption of the intended airflow in the operating room (OR). When personnel enter and exit the OR, or create unnecessary movement and traffic during the procedure, the intended airflow in the vicinity of the open wound becomes disrupted and does not adequately remove airborne contaminants from the sterile field. An increase in the bacterial counts of airborne microorganisms is noted during increased activity levels within the OR. Researchers have studied OR traffic and door openings as a determinant of air contamination. During a surgical procedure the door to the operating room may be open as long as 20 minutes out of each surgical hour during critical procedures involving implants. Interventions into limiting excessive movement and traffic in the OR may lead to reductions in surgical site infections in select populations.
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Cite this article as:
Pokrywka Marian and Byers Karin, Traffic in the Operating Room: A Review of Factors Influencing Air Flow and Surgical Wound Contamination., Infectious Disorders - Drug Targets 2013; 13 (3) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1871526511313030002
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1871526511313030002 |
Print ISSN 1871-5265 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 2212-3989 |
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