Reducing the Risk of Infection and Contamination in the Operating Room
Medical Grade Hospital Air Purifier
Mitigating SARS-CoV-2 and outbreaks of the future
Our devices have a role in the mitigation of airborne viruses and can be used within CDC guidelines for certain indications.Using Illuvia® in the operating room
Dr. Rubino, Orthopedic Surgeon
Protecting Patients and Staff Now and in the Future
The Illuvia Sense operates continuously, ensuring that air quality is consistently managed without disrupting medical procedures or staff activities. Its integration into medical facilities is supported by its compliance with existing healthcare protocols, emphasizing its utility, especially in maintaining sterile environments. The device’s impact on reducing surgical site infections highlights its role in enhancing patient safety and reducing transmission risks for healthcare workers worldwide.
Designed For:
Operating Rooms Immunocompromised Care Units Infection Control Facilities High-Activity Surgical Centers Smart Healthcare Facilities Anywhere You Need Air Decontamination
GETTING FASTMD BACK TO WORK FAST
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Aerobiotix was pleased to partner with Florida Advanced Spine and Sports Trauma Centers to provide Illuvia ultraclean continuous UV air disinfection systems, creating safe surgical environments for their patients.
“Installing the Illuvia system in our locations has been the best experience. All of the staff at Aerobiotix are responsive and easy to work with. These units are a cost-effective, simple, and efficient solution to reducing infection rates and providing peace of mind that our OR air quality is being addressed.”
Lindsey Wisniewski
MHA, Chief Operating Officer/ Security and Compliance Officer of FASTMD
Shortening the Pause: Calculating Aerosol Clearance for the Illuvia System in the Operating Room Environment
Introduction
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the resumption of elective procedures required increased vigilance in reducing airborne operating room contamination. Studies have shown that aerosol-generating procedures (AGP), such as intubation, can increase the transmission rates of SARS pathogens by a factor of 13.1
A specific concern is OR turnover times and aerosol clearance between procedures. The use of Aerobiotix HEPA/UV-C Air Recirculation Systems (Illuvia) can have a direct effect on room clearance times, compared to rooms without this technology. Illuvia systems have been independently tested to achieve 100% single-pass virus elimination.2
These systems work in three ways to reduce clearance times:
- Increasing air exchange rates by 25% compared to baseline airflow.
- Reducing baseline contamination levels through continuous OR use by 70%.
- Allowing for relocation in close proximity to aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs).
Determining Baseline Clearance Rate
Air clearance rates are determined by the formula:
T = [ln (C2 / C1) / (Q / V)] X 60
Where T = time in minutes, C1 = initial concentration of contaminant, C2 = final concentration of contaminant, Q = air flow rate in cubic feet/hour, V = room volume in cubic feet.
At baseline, a typical OR, with a flow rate of 100,000 cubic feet/hour, 4750 cubic feet volume, an initial viral concentration of 1000/cubic feet, and a final concentration of 1, will have a clearance rate of 19.7 minutes.
Illuvia: Reduction in initial concentration and increase in flow rate
Published studies3 have found the Illuvia system reduced airborne contamination levels, defined as aerosol particulates between 0.5 to 10 microns. This particulate size range has been identified as a size range for COVID-19 bioaerosols.4
With continuous use in the operative setting, particle contamination was reduced by 70%. Results were achieved with the unit placed 4m from the surgical table, adding an additional 27,000 cubic feet/hour of exchange capacity.
Referring to the clearance formula, the addition of the Illuvia system in the same OR increases the flow rate to 127,000 cubic feet/hour and reduces the initial concentration to 300, resulting in a clearance rate of 12.8 minutes.
Moving Illuvia closer to the contamination source will increase performance
A recent technical report5 from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control indicates that in rooms where aerosol-generating procedures have been performed (including intubation and bag-valve ventilation) the use of a portable HEPA air filtration system placed in close proximity to where the patient was located is advised.
Clearance time using the Illuvia can be further reduced by placing the unit near the area where AGPs have been performed. Aerosol concentration will be highest in this location and decrease as an inverse square of the distance from the source:
Placing the unit 1m from the AGP contamination source will capture a much higher proportion of the contamination than at 4m. Temporarily moving the unit from 4m to 1m during intubation and extubation may result in an additional 9x reduction in local aerosol concentration after an AGP is performed. Filtration systems work more efficiently at levels of higher contamination, where a single pass through the system removes relatively more particulates in the same time period.
Referring again to the clearance formula, the addition of the Illuvia system at 1m from a known contamination source with a specific contamination event reduces the initial room concentration to 33, resulting in a clearance rate of 7.8 minutes, assuming that is the only source of contamination.
Conclusion
There is significant variability in operating room construction, airflow, workflow and potential sources and concentrations of contamination. No engineering control can provide a guaranteed result with the inherent variability of the system.Moving the Illuvia closer to the contamination source will increase performance
The use of the Illuvia unit in a typical operating room environment will result in a potential reduction in clearance time from 19.7 minutes to 7.8-12.8 minutes. Variability is based on room configuration and the source and level of contamination. If the source can be localized, such as with a specific AGP, higher efficiency may be achieved. It must also be noted that any environmental control system does not substitute for appropriate airborne precautions and wearing of PPE.Illuvia Sense: Factors for Room Clearance
Reduces baseline particle levels
Increases air exchange rate
Can be placed at the source of contamination
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“O’Neill said they also are using new Aerobiotix machines in the operating room. “It’s a special device that turns the air over even more frequently in the operating room,” O’Neill explained. “It’s actually got ultraviolet light associated with it and so it eliminates any virus that may be in the OR.”
Dr. Owen O’Neill Orthopedic Surgeon at Twin Cities OrthopedicsMinnesota Orthopedic Center used Illuvia to kill viruses in operating rooms when elective procedures resumed.
Read Full Article from KSTP.com
A mobile device to reduce airborne particulate and prevent surgical site infections
Messina G., et al. Presented at EUPHA 2019
