Protective Effect of HEPA-Filtered Operating Room Air Ventilation With or Without Laminar Airflow on Surgical Site Infections

摘要

On the basis of a retrospective study using prospectively collected data from a large cohort of patients with and without postoperative surgical site infection (SSI), Brandt et al investigated the impact of high-efficiency particulate-arresting-filtered air conditions, either turbulent or directed by vertical laminar airflow on SSI rates in orthopedic and abdominal procedures. The authors report that operation room (OR) ventilation with laminar airflow showed no benefit for knee prosthesis and abdominal surgery and was even associated with a significantly higher risk for severe SSI after hip prosthesis.