Comparison of the Environment in Operating Theatres in Two Hospitals

Abstract

Hospitals and other health care facilities are complex environments that require specialised ventilation for the comfort of patients, personnel and visitors and to control hazardous emissions. Among the most highly specialised environments in hospitals are operating theatres. Health care personnel who work in surgical suites are potentially exposed to a number of airborne hazards and an environment that relies on ventilation to achieve a high air quality. We have tried to compare such environments in two very different hospitals with different exposures to different risk factors. The hospitals were the University Hospital in Prague which is located in the centre of the city in historical buildings and Homolka Hospital. The latter is one of the newest mono-block hospitals in Prague, well equipped; smaller than the University Hospital but specialised (with Leksell Gamma Knife facilities for neurosurgery). We compared the concentrations of anaesthetic gases and room temperature during operations in theatres at the two hospitals with or without air-conditioning. The positive effect of ventilation systems was confirmed provided the systems were properly operated and well maintained. However, it is best to identify and control at source airborne pollutants since this is the most effective way of reducing or preventing of indoor air quality problems, followed by other measures including ventilation.

Indoor TVOCs and CO2 levels in selected clinics of the Athens Dentistry School, Greece

“…It is characteristic that the TVOCs concentration reduces after 12:00-12:30 LST, immediately after the termination of these operations. For the same reason, only one peak is observed (Figure 3) with mean value of 1200 µgr/m 3 . Detergent cleaning products in use during the break are also responsible for the enhancement of VOCs concentrations.…”

“…This issue becomes more complicated in hospitals located in urban areas, where additional pollution sources, including cars, industries, central heating can affect the indoor air quality status. Previous studies have demonstrated the formation of bad conditions in hospitals and have investigated possible sources (Loizidou et al [1], San-Jose-Alonso et al [2], Holcatova et al [3]). …”

A comprehensive computational fluid dynamics simulation on the air distribution in an operating room at University of Malaya Medical Centre Malaysia

“…A proper and a well-maintained air conditioning and mechanical ventilation system should provide a positive effect on reducing the concentration of anaesthetics gases and maintaining a desirable temperature in OR. 1 The surgical processes often require the application of gaseous anaesthetics for narcosis. Inevitably, the application of these gases to surgical procedure will cause a rise in concentration of narcotic gases within the surgeon’s working zone as well as delivering the anaesthetic to the patient.…”

Pollutant dispersion in a natural ventilated dental clinic

“…The results of both measurement and simulation studies show that ventilation can improve indoor air quality. [5][6][7] Some research focuses on the optimal configuration or review of the ventilation system. The work of Santamouris and colleagues shows that the concentrations of CO 2 decrease with enhanced airflow rates.…”