[Functional construction aspects of surgical units]

Abstract

The historical development of Hospital hygiene is described showing in particular the demands made on the construction of operating units deduced from this evolution. Modes of infection inside operating units are considered and possible measures to interrupt these are discussed. The fundamental ideas expressed in the first version of the annex "Operating Unit" to the guidelines of the Federal Public Health Office "On the Identification, Prevention and Control of Hospital Infections" are explained in detail. The demands formulated originally are examined critically and the 1990 version is discussed. In addition, update requests are put forward such as ambulatory operation and new operating methods such as minimal-invasive operating, as well as new hygienic hazards arising from the increase of equipment inside operating theatres. An additional section deals with the fundamental ideas of DIN 1946, part 4, as far as operating units are concerned.