A comparative study of ventilation system used for the bacteria prevention in operation room in healthcare units

The bacteria or virus from an infected source can transmit through the airflow in an enclosed space. The risk of such transmission is more in the operation theatres of healthcare units where the various kind of surgeries takes place and several people from the healthcare field come in the contact of open wounds or body parts of patients. Various measurements are taken to prevent such transmission, such as PPE kits, UV devices, filters of higher efficiency, etc. However, all the stated preventive measurements are found inefficient to avoid the transmission of such airborne bacteria. The adoption of different types of ventilation systems is also studied in the literature to prevent bacteria transmission. Based on the presented comparative study on the different ventilation systems, the temperature control airflow ventilation system is found as most suitable in the hospital, specifically in the operating theatres. A temperature control airflow ventilation system is an efficient approach to disinfect the contaminants in the operating room, with low energy consumption as compared to the laminar airflow and mixed airflow ventilation systems. Copyright (C) 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Bacteria or viruses can be transmitted through the airflow in enclosed spaces, with a higher risk in healthcare operation theatres. The current preventive measures are found to be inadequate in avoiding the transmission of airborne bacteria. A comparative study suggests that a temperature control airflow ventilation system is the most suitable system for hospitals, particularly in operating theatres.