3. Problems in Laminar Air-Flow Operating Rooms

A critical analysis of “Forced-air Warming Does Not Worsen Air Quality in Laminar Flow Operating Rooms” by Sessler et al

As the inventor of both Bair Hugger® forced-air warming (FAW) and HotDog® conductive fabric warming, I read the article by Sessler et al, commenting on the relationship between operating room air quality and FAW, with great interest (Sessler D, Olmsted R, and Kuelpmann R. Forced-air Warming Does Not Worsen Air Quality in Laminar Flow Operating Rooms. Anesth Analg 2011;113:1416-21). The study, w...

Factors influencing microbial colonies in the air of operating rooms

BACKGROUND The operating room (OR) of the hospital is a special unit that requires a relatively clean environment. The microbial concentration of an indoor OR extrinsically influences surgical site infection rates. The aim of this study was to use active sampling methods to assess microbial colony counts in working ORs and to determine the factors affecting air contamination in a tertiary refer...

The effect of laminar air flow and door openings on operating room contamination.

We evaluate the association of laminar airflow (LAF) and OR traffic with intraoperative contamination rates. Two sterile basins were placed in each room during 81 cases, one inside and one outside the LAF. One Replicate Organism Detection and Counting (RODAC) plate from each basin was sent for culture at successive 30-minute intervals from incision time until wound closure. At successive 30-min...

A perspective on OR laminar air flow.

Laminar and Turbulent Aeroheating Predictions around Multi -Cone Configurations in Hypersonic Equilibrium - Air Flow