Disinfection and sterilization techniques of operation theatre: a review

An Operation Theatre (OT) complex is the heart of any surgical hospital. The outcomes of surgical interventions depend on a range of factors like- Good surgical skills, scientific design of the OT, proper sterilization/ disinfection techniques and infection control practices. A well equipped OT with the above mentioned factors generally results in fewer Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs). The present article lays emphasis on the various methods of sterilization and disinfection presently available. A variety of sterilants and disinfectants are being used in health care facilities across the world. Merits and demerits of various currently used sterilization and disinfection techniques have been discussed. Of the available techniques for disinfection of OT, fumigation using formaldehyde is no longer recommended. Fogging has widely been accepted as an alternate method as it is less labor intensive and quicker and poses minimal health hazard to the health care personnel. Microbiological sampling and surveillance of OT is also recommended to prevent HAIs.