The Association Between OR Traffic and Airborne Microbial Counts During Two Types of Abdominal Surgeries

Area of Science:

• Healthcare-associated infections
• Operating room contamination
• Microbiology

Background:

• Airborne contamination in operating rooms (ORs) from traffic (personnel, door openings) can lead to microbial deposits on surfaces.
• These microbial deposits are a potential contributor to surgical site infections (SSIs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the association between operating room (OR) traffic and microbial deposits during specific surgical procedures.
• To identify potential modifiable factors in OR traffic that could reduce contamination risk.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining nonparticipant observations and agar settle plate testing.
• Data were collected during colon surgeries and abdominal hysterectomies at a midwestern health system.
• OR traffic metrics (door openings, personnel numbers) were correlated with microbial deposit levels.

Main Results:

• Door openings were strongly correlated with surgery duration (r=0.72, P<0.0001).
• Total microbial deposits showed weak correlations with increased door openings (r=0.37, P<0.004) and personnel (r=0.27, P=0.034).
• The majority (83%) of wound zone deposit values were below established thresholds.

Conclusions:

• While most microbial deposits were below thresholds, OR traffic is a weakly associated factor.
• Perioperative personnel can potentially mitigate microbial contamination risk by controlling OR traffic.
• Strategies to decrease unnecessary door openings and personnel movement may enhance surgical site safety.