Air quality standards for ophthalmic surgeries in operating rooms and ambulatory settings

More aseptic condititions for less money

Operio creates an asepsis for the instruments and operating area (and that’s what matters!) that is up to 100 times higher than in a conventional  operating theatre for ophthalmic surgery, because the sterile air flow protects directly and immediately the criticial area of  the instruments and the operating area without obstructions – such as the operating microscope or the operating team.

Operio Sterile Air Flow units create OR-like sterile conditions that were previously only possible in an expensive operating theatre. Mobile Operio systems enable cost-effective upgrading of operating theatres and outpatient operating rooms while ensuring safety for both the doctor and patient.

The Operio Sterile Air Flow unit filters the ambient air through a highly purifying H 14 Hepa filter with an efficiency of over 99.9%, which eliminates bacteria and micro-organisms (including coronavirus covid 19) by over 99.9%! These units can be positioned to produce a “bacteria-free zone” that offers the greatest possible protection for both the surgical team and the patient, in that they filter 400 m3 of air per hour, thus reducing microorganisms in the entire room. The entirety of a standard practice area of 40 m3 will be completely filtered every 6 minutes. The units can also be used to examine patients on non-operative days, since it is never possible to completely exclude the possibility that someone is carrying the coronavirus. The units provide, without any obstructions, extremely efficient protection from bacteria and microorganisms of exactly the recommended operating area and instruments.

Performing intravitreal injections and small procedures in outpatient settings with operating room quality

Operio allows transferring IVT and small procedures in standard outpatient settings, in extremely safe conditions for doctors and patients.

The mobile sterile air production unit requires only a standard power socket; in addition, the unit is trolley-mounted and the back handle allows moving it quickly between different environments.

The Sterile Air Flow is experienced as very pleasant by personnel, because the air it produces is not cold and it is also very quiet – comparable to a projector.

Up to 95% more “sterility” than with conventional air supply via ceilings in the operating theater and for the instruments

Cataract surgery, glaucoma surgery, refractive surgery, etc.

Removing obstacles for a direct flow

Operio creates a direct horizontal air flow on the instruments and surgical wound, thus maximizing their effectiveness and preserving the asepsis of the critical area (instruments and operating field).

An old operating theatre can be transformed in a completely aseptic operating area in just a few minutes

The horizontal flow means that the sterility of the operating area and instruments is not obstructed by the operating microscope or surgical team. This results in the greatest possible elimination of turbulence and bacteria contamination. This operating principle achieves up to 95% more “sterility” for the operating area and instruments than conventional air supply via ceilings (see studies).

A conventional theatre  room (ISO 7 )  or outpatient operating room can be converted into an ultra-clean ISO 5 operating area in just a few minutes. Aseptic conditions are particularly important for ophthalmic surgery because endophthalmitis can lead to serious consequences (both for the patient and for the reputation of the surgeon and the clinic). In the case of transplantations or the use of implants, prostheses and keratoprosthesis, aseptic conditions are fundamental for the implantation’s success!

The operating time in ophthalmology surgery is very short and hence the recovery time from one operation to another is too short to guranntee always aseptic conditions for the next patient in Ophthalmology. The transmission of bacterias from one patient to the next patient can never be excuded in conventional operating theathers for ophtalmology.

Conventional operating room for eye surgery

With conventional supply air via ceilings, the operating area is almost completely obstructed by the operating microscope and the surgeon’s head, meaning that no sterile air can enter the operating area.

The air filtered through traditional ventilation systems is pushed inside the Operating Room from the air outlet on the ceiling toward the floor. However, instruments are almost always prepared outside the sterile area, since the air outlets are not sufficient to cover the entire instrument table, and even the operating field is often not located underneath the sterile air outlet.

Vertical air flow can even contribute to bacteria being carried by the operating theatre personnel into the operating area, because air is being blown over the surgeon’s head toward the surgical wound. Despite surgical clothing, every person releases around 200 to 500 bacteria per minute to the environment.