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. 2011 May;39(4):302-8.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2010.07.006. Epub 2011 Jan 22.

Long-term surveillance of air quality in medical center operating rooms

Gwo-Hwa Wan  1 , Feng-Fang Chung, Chin-Sheng Tang
Affiliations

Long-term surveillance of air quality in medical center operating rooms

Gwo-Hwa Wan et al. Am J Infect Control. 2011 May.

Erratum in

  • Am J Infect Control. 2011 Jun;39(5):444
  • Erratum.
    [No authors listed] [No authors listed] Am J Infect Control. 2011 Jun;39(5):444. doi: 10.1016/j.ajic.2011.04.325. Epub 2011 May 29. Am J Infect Control. 2011. PMID: 30011743 No abstract available.

Abstract

Background: Maintenance of adequate indoor air quality (IAQ) in operating rooms (ORs) is critical to the prevention of nosocomial infection in hospitalized patients. This study evaluated the characteristics of IAQ in various ORs in a medical center.

Methods: Air temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide (CO(2)), particulate matter (PM), and bacterial concentrations were monitored in the ORs, and monthly variations were noted.

Results: The mean CO(2) concentrations in the ORs were lower than the suggested level (600 ppm average over 8 hours) set by Taiwan's Environmental Protection Agency. Positive relationships were found among the number of persons, temperature (Spearman's rho coefficient [r(s)] = 0.19; P < .01), and CO(2) concentration (r(s) = 0.34; P < .01) in the OR. Bacterial concentration was significantly associated with PM level when adjusted for OR category and the number of persons in the room. Gram-positive bacteria (eg, Bacillus spp, Micrococcus spp, Staphylococcus spp) were frequently found in the monitored ORs.

Conclusion: The IAQ in the ORs varied significantly from month to month. The number of persons in the OR affected IAQ, and a decreased PM level might indicate reduced microbial contamination in the OR.

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