Trends in operating room devices

Although trends in the use of operating room devices have generally followed advances in technology, the trends are not always influenced as much by surgical need as they are by industrial expediency and commercial promotion. Nonetheless, a broad view of trends in OR devices definitely points to efforts at greater compatibility between devices made by different manufacturers. To mention a few examples, operating tables are being made more compatible with OR X-ray equipment; surgical lighting is being designed for greater compatibility with air-handling systems and video equipment; power consoles have reduced the clutter of tubes, hoses, and wires in complicated operations, and have become more functional in keeping with the trend away from electrical power and toward nitrogen power for driving surgical tools; cabinetry is being designed to employ clean-air principles; and surgical apparel and barrier materials are undergoing close scrutiny for their effectiveness against moist bacterial strike-through in lengthy wet operations. Operating room devices form an important segment of the devices classified by the FDA, and are expected to benefit by the application of standards in performance and safety. This trend will affect not only the devices themselves, but all other facets of operating room design and engineering.