Enhancing Sterility in Surgery: The Impact of Door Openings
Door openings during surgical procedures are a challenge for surgery as they allow contaminated air from another room to enter into the operating room. It is important to have a trustworthy ventilation system that is robust when door openings or other events occur that makes it hard to follow best practice hygiene protocols.
Maintaining sterility in the operating room is paramount for preventing surgical site infections (SSIs) in infection sensitive surgical procedures. One aspect of infection control is the impact of door openings on airborne bacterial counts and overall cleanliness.
Recent studies have highlighted the significance of minimizing foot traffic and airborne bacterial counts in surgical settings to reduce the risk of SSIs. Implementing evidence-based systems, such as Temperature-controlled AirFlow (TcAF) ventilation systems, has shown promise in achieving this goal. Even more, TcAF systems excel in maintaining low levels of airborne bacteria throughout the entire operating room, also under challenging conditions such as when doors are open. During busy surgeries with high equipment usage and personnel movement, TcAF systems effectively control airborne contamination, contributing to a sterile surgical environment. See figure 1.
Figure 1 Research shows that even under the extreme conditions, the TcAF system was able to maintain <10CFU/m3 throughout the entire room. The conclusion is that the system is robust and disturbances have a minimum impact on functionality. [Poster presented at AORN, 2023]
Of particular importance is the role of door openings as they allow outside contaminants into the operating room, despite positive pressure. Traditional systems often struggle to mitigate the influx of bacteria each time a door is opened. See simulation of door opening in the video below:
As shown in research, the positive pressure in an OR is lost within a few seconds (C. Wang thesis, 2019), which then allows for the influx of outside air, see figure 2. In contrast, TcAF systems minimize inflow while pushing the externa air down to protect the operating table and instrument trays.
Figure 2. As doors are open, contaminated air from a corridor leak into the OR. Depending on temperature difference, this influx can be either high or low through the door opening. A ventilation system with a robust downflow such as TcAF will mitigate any contaminants reaching sensitive areas.
Moreover, the benefits of TcAF systems extend beyond infection control. Personnel working in TcAF-equipped operating rooms report increased comfort levels due to reduced noise and fewer cold drafts compared to conventional systems. This enhanced working environment contributes to overall satisfaction and efficiency among surgical staff.
In summary, optimizing infection control measures in infection-sensitive surgery involves addressing all potential sources of contamination, including door openings. By implementing innovative solutions like TcAF systems, hospitals can effectively mitigate the risk of SSIs while promoting a comfortable working environment for surgical teams.
Contact us today to learn more about how you can upgrade your existing surgical suite with Temperature-controlled AirFlow ventilation system Opragon.
References:
https://kth.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1368003/FULLTEXT01.pdf