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Plasma atmospheric air purification systems decrease OR contamination
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SAN FRANCISCO – Use of a plasma atmospheric air purification system decreased surface bacteria on sterile operating room trays, according to a study at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 2012 Annual Meeting.
“One prevailing theory about modification of the operating room environment is that decontamination of the ambient environment may decrease operative surface contamination,” Ryan P. Donegan, MD, said here.
For the study, Donegan and his colleagues separated 27 sterile instrument trays into three sections of an operating room: inside, under or outside a laminar flow air curtain. On day two, the orthopedists collected the samples from day one, and then set up two plasma atmospheric air purification systems in the same room along with 27 more sterile instrument trays divided up among the same locations.
The contamination rate for day one totaled 28% and 13.6% for day two. When the team compared locations from day 1 versus day 2, they found no significant differences. However, contamination dropped at the location outside the laminar flow air curtain on day 2 compared to day 1.
“In-room plasma air purification systems significantly decrease time-dependent bacteria when located outside the laminar flow air-curtain,” Donegan said.
Reference:
- Donegan RP, Larson AI, Moschetti WE, Cummins JS. The effect of an operating room air purification system on the contamination of opened sterile operating room trays. Paper #485. Presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 2012 Annual Meeting. Feb. 7-11. San Francisco.
- Disclosure: Donegan has no relevant financial disclosures.
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