The role of clothing and drapes in the operating room

Abstract

The major sources and routes of bacterial wound infection in the operating theatre are shown in Figure 1. The sources of infection can come from areas adjacent to the operating room, the floor, instruments, personnel and the patient. The routes of infection are through the air or by contact. A modern operating room is designed to be supplied with bacteria-free air of sufficient quantity to pressurize the room against the ingress of air