ALMA GLOBAL

Objectives of Modern Operation Rooms

• Promote high standard of asepsis.
• Ensure maximum standard of safety.
• Optimise utilization of OT and staff time.
• Optimise working conditions.
• Patent and staff comfort in terms of thermal, acoustic and lighting requirements.
• Low flexibility.
• Facilitate coordinated services.
• Minimise maintenance.
• Ensure functional separation of spaces.
• Provide soothing environment.
• Regulates flow of traffic.

Design Parameters

OT design should be planned in very detail so as to avoidance of unrelated hospital traffic flow in the area. Making it convenient to functional relationship and communication with surgical ward, ICU, CSSD, blood bank, medical imaging and laboratory services. Also avoiding the outdoor source of noises and interferences. Enough planning is done to provide future expansion | alterations if required. If planning for Modular Theatre, the walls should be Aluminum, Galvanized steel, Stainless steel in panels, joints filled with antibacterial silicon filling. The final prepared surface is treated with anti-bacterial film.

Doors should be of sliding type of minimum 1.2m width in areas where patient movement is anticipated like operation theatre, pre and post-operative rooms. Sliding doors are preferred to the double action leaf type since they are more user friendly, saves space and prevents air turbulences. Ideally doors should be electrically operated hermetically sealed sliding doors to ensure sterilization and correct air pressure. The main advantages of a hermetically sealed sliding door are: that disinfections is quicker and safer, contamination risks are under control, acoustic and noise control is easier and In case of failure of air handling unit temperature and humidity levels are brought within range more quickly. Corridors should not be less than 2.85m in width to facilitate movement of trolleys and stretchers.

Walls and ceiling should be aesthetically pleasing nonporous, fire resistant, water and stain proof, seamless, non-reflective and easy to clean. They should not cause buildup of a static electrical charge. They should be joint less or have joints capable of being sealed.

Surgical Sink

• Floors will be smooth, non-slippery, impervious material and conductive enough to dissipate static electricity but not conductive enough to endanger personnel from shock. The flooring should either be inset mosaic with least possible joints and copper strips to carry away any static electricity produced or of joint less conductive tiles. Conductive copper mesh and self levelling epoxy flooring is done.
• Ceiling will be painted, or epoxy coated with washable paint and corners of the rooms will be rounded off to prevent collection of dirt and dust.
• Water dispensing taps in the scrub room will be knee | elbow operated or will be electronically controlled taps activated by infrared sensor.
• Will be connected to power back up system.
• Certain facilities may be shared with the obstetric | birthing unit. However, it must be ensured that when service areas are shared with delivery rooms, they should be designed to avoid movement of patients | staff between the operating room and delivery room areas.
• In operating rooms, anesthetic room, recovery room, holding area, the color of walls and ceilings are such that they do not alter the observer’s perception of skin color, this will facilitate patient monitoring and management.
• OT should have facilities for high speed autoclaves | sterilizers for immediate | emergency requirements of sterilizing equipment.
• Essential pharmaceutical storage including refrigeration facilities should be available.
• There should be a waiting room with toilet facilities for patient attendants.
• Pass-through cabinets that circulate clean air through them while maintaining positive air room pressure allow transfer of supplies from outside the OR to inside it. They help ensure the rotation of supplies in storage or can be used only for passing supplies as needed from a clean center core.
• There should be X-ray film illuminators preferably recessed into the wall.
• There should be emergency communication system that can be activated without the use of hands. Preoperative Patient Holding Area: This should be able to facilitate stretcher as well as ambulatory patients not requiring stretchers. Each stretcher station should be of about 7.50 sqm and should have a clearance of about 1.25m on the sides of the stretcher and foot of the stretcher. Post Anesthetic Care Units: These should contain a medication station, hand washing station, nurse station, storage space for stretchers, supplies and equipment. Additionally, about 7.50 sqm for each patient bed clearance of approx.1.5 m between bed and about 1.25m between patient bed sides and adjacent walls.