Laminar Air Flow

Moderator
Dr. Surendra U Kamath
Dr. Anup Kumar

DEFINITION
An air flow in which entire body of air
within a confined area moves with
uniform velocity
along parallel flow
with minimum air turbulence.

APPLICATION

laminar air flows have a variety of applications

such as ;
Quality control labs of pharmaceutical
Industries
Quality control labs of food processing
industries
Quality control labs of micro circuit and
electronic assembly and manufacturing
applications.
Deoxy Ribonucleic Acid Thermo cycling

APPLICATION
General Laboratory applications in
Biotechnology
General Laboratory applications
Microbiology
General Laboratory applications Tissue
Culture
General Laboratory applications Genetic
engineering

Where are we concerned

about.

HISTORY
Laminar flow
ventilation was first
pioneered by Sir
John Charnley in the
1960s

WHY DO WE NEED
LAMINAR AIR FLOW

LITERATURE
EVIDENCES

the British Medical Journal in 1982

Lidwells Trial

incidence of joint
sepsis at reoperation
was 50% less
body exhaust suits
further reduced to
25%.
the incidence of sepsis
0-0.66%
vertical laminar flow
ventilation
performed better than
horizontal ventilation

More recent literature

Holton and Ridgway
Fitzgerald
van Griethuysen et al 1996

 DIRECT
RELATIONSH
IP BETWEEN
BACTERIAL
CONTENT OF
WOUND &AIR
CONTAMINAT
ION

TRANSMISSION CYCLE IN OT
Reservoirs
People
Water and solutions
Instruments and other items
Equipment
Soil and air

Susceptible Hosts
Clients
Service providers
Ancillary Staff
Community members

Places of entry
Broken skin
Puncture wound
Surgical site
Mucous membranes
Modes of
transmission
Contact
Droplet
Vehicle
Airborne

Places of exit
Respiratory, genitourinary,
and vascular systems
Gastrointestinal tract
Skin
Mucous membranes
Placenta

Types of air supply

Air is supplied to the operating theatre by:

1. Plenum Ventilation

2. Laminar Flow Ventilation (Ultra

Clean Ventilation
3. Wall Mounted Air Conditioners
4. Free-standing Air Conditioners

PLENUM VENTILLATION

LAMINAR AIR FLOW

PLENUM VENTILLATION VS LAF

16- 20 CHANGES
/HR
50-150cfu/M3
INFECTION RATE IN
CLEAN SURGERY
5%

400-500/HR
1O CFU/M3
INFECTION RATE
<1%

TYPES OF LAMINAR AIR FLOW

VERTICAL

HORIZONTAL LAF

ADVANTAGE
Vertical Laminar Flow Clean Room
Space has the additional advantage over
the Horizontal System in that
particles are removed by gravity as well as
by airflow. This is particularly important in
the case of heavy
particles that can fall out and settle, via a
Horizontal Flow System

DISADVANTAGE
DECREASES VERSATALITY OF
OPERATING ROOM
LIGHT AND EQUIPMENT COME IN THE
WAY
MOVEMENT OF PERSONAL IN OUTER
AREA PUSHES AIR BACK TO THE
CLEAN AREA ENTRAPMENT

EXPONENTIAL
LAF

 Laminar air flow systems contains three

basic elements
a blower,
a high efficiency air filter,
and a plenum.

HEPA FILTERS
A high
efficiency
particulate air
or HEPA
99.97% of
airborne
particles 0.3
micrometers
(m) in diameter

Guided Airflow Ventilation

System

ADVANTAGES

This novel design maintains a large sterile zone at a much lower operating cost as
compared to other conventional ventilation systems and minimizes infection rate in
the OR.
Provides a 3 directional, stable and sterile airflow (vertical, horizontal and diagonal) to
create a clearly defined sterile zone for the surgery and instrument tray areas.
Accommodates between 13 25 air changes per hour (20 air changes is commonly
used).
Double-wall exhaust system located at low level helps to reduce turbulences by
guiding contaminated air out of OR while enhancing the cooling effect within OR in
hot climate.
Allows flexibility of optimal patient positioning for different operating postures, which
optimizes equipment placement and staff ergonomics.
Requires a lower airflow rate, 1800 m3/h, to achieve stable and sterile environment in
comparison with other conventional laminar airflow (LAF) systems requiring 9000
m3/h.
Maintains a constant bacteria count of 0.5 cfu/m3, which is effective in infection
control, (measured at a distance of 300 mm from wound site, independent of
personnel activities) over large working area in the OR.
60% - 70% reduction in energy

 CHARNLEY
STUDIES
SCANDINAVIAN
&UK STUDIES