Particle Tracing: Analysis of Airborne Infection Risks in Operating Theatres

Other conference contribution, 2012

Patients undergoing surgery are very sensitive to infections. The operation staff may spread 104 particles per person per minute, of which ten percent are presumed bacteria- carrying. We visualize and analyse the influence of the personnel on the air and particle flows for the two most common ventilation systems in Swedish hospitals. Comsol Multiphysics is very suitable for the task with the new particle tracing module.The geometry was measured on two existing operating rooms in the hospital Östra Sjukhuset in Göteborg. Our study shows that the Laminar Air flow- ventilation gives a much more controlled flow where fewer particles reach the patient than with conventional mixed ventilation where it is more likely that the staff unconsciously disrupt the flow. We also find that even for Laminar Air- flow ventilation it takes more than two minutes for the particles in motion to leave the room having implications for the time preceeding the operation when particles are assumed to settle.