Hygiene Problems in the Building and Technical Equipping of Hospital Surgery Departments

Abstract

If operations are performed in operating theatres that have been poorly rebuilt and badly technically equipped and managed there may be hygiene and technical problems that could cause considerable problems for users and their controlling authorities. These problems include the need to provide aseptic working conditions in operating theatres to prevent nosocomial infections and possible risk of damage to the health of the surgical team. It is also important to ensure good air quality, thermal and sound comfort and correct illumination within the rooms and for the various technical devices. All these factors may affect the condition and performance of operating theatres. With our long experience in this field, we would like to highlight some of the commonly repeated mistakes which building engineers and air conditioning technicians as well as surgical teams and management should avoid and which could be eliminated to improve hygienic environmental standards in surgical departments.

Common problems include not keeping to the rules of zoning in operating theatres and other rooms in surgical departments. Crossing from clean to dirty areas around the operating spaces and involvement of other staff work and materials should be avoided. Technical measures for air decontamination should be devised especially for the air evacuation zone of operating rooms. Pollution of rest room indoor air by cigarette smoke from smokers in the operating team should be prevented.