tion you choose has a small footprint so it's unobtrusive as possible in
a crowded area already filled with other equipment, instruments and
members of the surgical team.
Air quality considerations go beyond which type of laminar flow sys-
tem you use, says Dr. Tingwald. He believes the best way to avoid
contaminating the air in the OR is through designing a dual-entrance
philosophy: patients enter through one door from a public corridor,
which also is the way out for used equipment, while another door
serves as a sterile entrance for staff. "Keeping that separation of flow
is really critical," says Dr. Tingwald.
That's not all. Mr. Lee says it's a good idea to make sure all wall
and ceiling penetrations are properly sealed. "Some ORs can even
become negatively pressurized for a brief time when air from adjoin-
ing areas infiltrates the OR through electrical outlets, data ports,
unsealed light booms, and other penetrations," he explains. "This is
highly troubling because ceiling light booms are commonly situated
within the sterile field, so dust and particulate matter can become
deposited in the surgical site."
Diligence over design
Ultimately, says Dr. Tingwald, preventing infections goes beyond how
well your ORs are built and what technologies you use. It's just as
important to ensure proper infection prevention practices are fol-
lowed during every case and for every patient. "From a patient's
standpoint, they want to know that it's the safest room possible," he
says.
Build it right and maintain it right. The fight against infection never
takes a day off.
OSM
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