1981 Volume 51 Issue 12 Pages 582-587
The operating department of Toyama medical and pharmaceutical university hospital was opened on 10th of October in 1979. From the beginning, the investigation of air born bacteria, using a slit sampler, has been done once a month.Bacterial counts in the operating rooms, wherein on one was working, were nearly zero.During surgery, bacterial counts in the operating room increased to about 100 colonies/m^3 air, in proportion to the number of persons and their movement. Within thirty minutes after the operation was over, and patient and medical staffs went out, bacterial counts returned to zero. In order places, bacterial counts were 10 to 20 colonies/m^3 during early eight months, then increased to 48.5 colonies/m^3 from the ninth month to the eleventh month and then slightly decreased. Indigenous bacterial floras-for example, micrococcus, staphylococcus epidermidis and streptcoccus-were mainly found. It was suspected that the number of bacteria in the operating department depended on the number of persons, as well as on the equipments which were HEPA filter used air conditioning system, Maquet's hatch way transfer system and others.Some other efforts to keep the operating department clean were reported.
