Comparison of number of airborne bacteria in operating rooms with turbulent mixing ventilation and unidirectional airflow when using reusable scrub suits and single-use scrub suits

Abstract

A low count of airborne bacteria in the operating room is a means to prevent surgical site infection. To investigate levels of airborne bacteria during surgical procedures in two operating rooms with turbulent mixing ventilation (TMV) and unidirectional airflow (UDAF), both with an air supply of 2600L/s, when staff used either reusable scrub suits made from a mixed material (dry penetration ≤300cfu) or single-use scrub suits made from polypropylene (dry penetration ≤100cfu). In the TMV-room cfu/m3 air was measured during eight procedures with staff wearing reusable scrub suits and seven procedures with single-use scrub. In the UDAF-room cfu/m3 air was measured during seven procedures with staff wearing reusable scrub suits. Mean values of cfu/m3 air were 1.3-10.8 in the TMV-room with staff dressed in reusable scrub suits and 0.8-4.0 with staff dressed in single-use scrub suits (P<0.01). Mean values of cfu/m3 air were 0.2-4.5 in the UDAF-room with staff dressed in reusable scrub suits. The difference obtained with reusable scrub suits in the two rooms was significant (P<0.01). The mode of ventilation affects the cfu levels when staff are dressed in less occlusive scrub suits despite a high air supply. It is possible to decrease the cfu levels in a TMV-room by using scrub suits made from a tight material, thus reaching the same levels that are achieved by less protective scrub suits in a UDAF-room.