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Infection control during orthopaedic surgery

In cooperation between Aalborg University, Region North Jutland and Ramboll Denmark, a variety of factors in connection with orthopaedic surgery were examined. For example, it was investigated how to control infection as well as the effect of local exhaust when using bone cement. The main part of the project work was made in connection with a one-year master thesis by Kasper Balling and Dennis Jeppesen.

During orthopaedic surgery, people in the operating theatre wear suits to prevent spread of bacteria, primarily from the skin to the surgical wound. During surgery, deep infections involve a high risk, which is why considerable resources are used to keep the surgical wound clean. For example, the air is supplied by a so-called LAF injection (laminar airflow) after having passed through an absolute filter which can retain the damaging bacteria.

During the project observations and measurements in an active operating theatre were made. Moreover, a long series of computer simulations of the flow conditions and the pollution distribution in the operating theatre were made.

Operating theatre at Farsø Hospital designed for orthopaedic surgery, e.g. implantation of an artificial hip.
During orthopaedic surgery, people in the operating theatre wear suits to prevent spread of bacteria, primarily from the skin to the surgical wound. During surgery, deep infections involve a high risk, which is why considerable resources are used to keep the surgical wound clean - including efficient ventilation.
During hip replacement operations bone cement is sometimes used to fasten the artificial hip to the thighbone. To reduce emission of damaging volatile organic compounds during mixing and use of the bone cement, local exhaust is used (see the orange markings). The effect of the exhaust has been examined in a master thesis.
Computer simulation of the airflow in an orthopaedic surgical operation theatre. Among other things, it can be seen which strong influence the operation lamps have on the flow above the patient.

Computer simulation of the pollution spread from the use of bone cement during a hip operation.