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Mar 25, 2024

Unlocking Surgical Safety: TcAF Ventilation System Leads the Way in OR Cleanliness

Biological particles present in the air of operating rooms (ORs) pose a significant risk to cause surgical site infections (SSIs). To mitigate this risk, various ventilation systems have been implemented to maintain an ultra-clean environment. However, the effectiveness of these systems in controlling bacteria-carrying particles (BCPs) released by surgical staff during procedures is crucial to reduce infections. 

In a study from 2020, researchers from three of China´s foremost universities and research institutes along with the renowned Danish Technical University, evaluated and compared four ventilation systems commonly used in ORs: vertical laminar airflow ventilation (VLAF), horizontal laminar airflow ventilation (HLAF), differential vertical airflow ventilation (DVAF), and temperature-controlled airflow ventilation (TcAF – named as TAF in the study). Using sophisticated models, the study quantitatively analyzed airflow distribution and BCP dispersion.

Interestingly, the study highlighted the impact of airflow distribution on air cleanliness, emphasizing the influence of obstacles such as surgical lamps and surgical staff. For instance, the VLAF system failed to provide the intended vertical downward laminar airflow due to obstructions, resulting in elevated BCP concentrations even with increased airflow rates. Similarly, the HLAF system demonstrated effectiveness only above a certain airflow threshold, with cleanliness deteriorating below this value. The DVAF system showed promise at lower airflow rates but exceeded recommended BCP limits as airflow rates increased.

The findings revealed that the TcAF system exhibited superior performance in maintaining air cleanliness within the operating area compared to the other systems tested. Specifically, the TcAF system consistently achieved lower BCP concentrations, indicating its effectiveness in minimizing the risk of SSIs. 

Velocity vector and BCP concentration distribution for different planes in the OR. (a) VLAF, (b) HLAF, (c) DVAF and (d)TcAF.

The study, independently validating TcAF in yet another continent, has demonstrated that the temperature-controlled airflow ventilation (TcAF) system excels in ensuring cleanliness in operating rooms. Compared to other common ventilation systems such as vertical laminar airflow ventilation (VLAF), horizontal laminar airflow ventilation (HLAF), and differential vertical airflow ventilation (DVAF), the TcAF system consistently showed the ability to maintain lower concentrations of bacteria-carrying particles (BCPs). This indicates that the TcAF system effectively reduces the risk of surgical site infections. The study underscores that the superiority of the TcAF system lies in its ability to consistently maintain low BCP concentrations, a feature not as clearly observed with the other systems tested. Thus, the study highlights the potential of the TcAF system to contribute to a safer surgical environment by minimizing the risk of infections.

Reduce the risk of airborne infections and upgrade your surgical department with a future-proof and validated ventilation system for ultra-clean air. Contact us for more information about the superior Opragon system.

Reference:

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11783-020-1327-9

Note: TcAF is in this article termed “TAF”. Since 2018, Avidicare uses TcAF in order to avoid confusion with Turbulent Mixing Airflow, which in some countries are abbreviated as TAF.