Operating Theatre Filtration Level
Operating Theatre Filtration Level
(OP)
We do ventilation designs to lots of hospitals in the UK. One thing that has always puzzled me is the HTM2025 Hospital Technical Memorandum concerning ventilation and filters.
Surprisingly (To me anyway), there does not appear to be any preferred filtration efficiency requirement for operating theatres. Indeed, I have surveyed a number of theatre plants and the filtration on some systems is only F9 (Not even HEPA).
OK, on theatres requiring deep intrusive operations (Hip replacements etc) then we use HEPAs and laminar flow canopies, but again this is done on recomendations from clean room specialists and not the HTM2025.
Can anyone tell me why it is is permissible for 'standard' operating theatres that HEPA filtration is not a strict requirement.
Also, if you were to provide a new theatre for eye surgery, would this be treated as one that would require a higher level of filtration??
Surprisingly (To me anyway), there does not appear to be any preferred filtration efficiency requirement for operating theatres. Indeed, I have surveyed a number of theatre plants and the filtration on some systems is only F9 (Not even HEPA).
OK, on theatres requiring deep intrusive operations (Hip replacements etc) then we use HEPAs and laminar flow canopies, but again this is done on recomendations from clean room specialists and not the HTM2025.
Can anyone tell me why it is is permissible for 'standard' operating theatres that HEPA filtration is not a strict requirement.
Also, if you were to provide a new theatre for eye surgery, would this be treated as one that would require a higher level of filtration??
Friar Tuck of Sherwood





RE: Operating Theatre Filtration Level
RE: Operating Theatre Filtration Level
RE: Operating Theatre Filtration Level
HVAC68
RE: Operating Theatre Filtration Level
For instance, are the personnel masks of HEPA quality? Is the theatre audience segragated from the operating environment? Certainly achieving sanitary and hygienic conditions are a primary concern. Yet, safe practices and a prudent level of not-quite HEPA filtration may statistically achieve the same result. Compared to sterilizing everything else that may enter the environment (as opposed to things that make direct contact), that may be a reasonable alternative.