A UK historical perspective on operating theatre ventilation

• Published in: Journal of Hospital Infection Vol. 52; no. 2; pp. 77 - 80
• Main Authors: Stacey, A, Humphreys, H
• Format: Book Review Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kent Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2002; Elsevier
• Subjects: Air Microbiology; Biological and medical sciences; General aspects; History, 19th Century; History, 20th Century; Medical sciences; Operating Rooms - history; Planification. Prevention (methods). Intervention. Evaluation; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Theatre ventilation, infection, bacterial air counts; United Kingdom; Ventilation - methods; United Kingdom; Europe; Theatre ventilation, infection, bacterial air counts; Prevention; Nosocomial infection; bacterial air counts; Theatre ventilation; infection; Operating room; Ventilation; Case history
• ISSN: 0195-6701; 1532-2939
• DOI: 10.1053/jhin.2002.1276

As part of the preparation for the report of the Hospital Infection Society Working Party on Infection Control and Operating Theatres, studies published from the UK on the subject of operating theatre ventilation were reviewed. Few have convincingly demonstrated a direct relationship between the microbiological quality of operating theatre air and postoperative wound infection. Nevertheless, the findings from these studies have had a major influence on the development of official UK guidance on the design, performance and testing of ventilation in both conventional and ultraclean operating theatres.