Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
4.3
Chapter 4.3
Operating theatre facilities
Chad J. Smith, Raj Rane, and Luis Melendez
The operating room (OR) is an exciting location in which
to apply the principles of engineering. The surgical
environment encompasses an extensive arrangement of
medical technologies and processes. The clinical engineer
must apply the principles of several engineering
disciplines to support an efficient, productive, and safe
OR.
This chapter describes the medical technology, surgi-
cal specialties, personnel, and physical setting of a con-
ventional OR. The complex and dynamic interaction of
these facets of the OR is thoroughly illustrated, thus
enabling the clinical engineer to support this environ-
ment more effectively.
than outpatient procedures and might include general
anesthesia. However, the patient is also discharged in the
same day. The OR is the location in a health care facility
that is equipped for the performance of surgery. Patients
who require invasive treatment are transported to this
department to undergo induction of anesthesia, the sur-
gical procedure, and resuscitation. It is a technologically
advanced area filled with complex equipment, highly
trained professionals, and stringent environmental con-
trols. For the scope of this chapter, the term ''surgical
suite'' will be used to refer to the individual room where
a surgical procedure is performed. The ''OR'' will signify
the entire department, within the health care facility, in
which the operating suites and supporting areas are
located.
A typical hospital comprise numerous departments
that provide a wide range of services. The OR plays an
important role in a hospital and in the overall process of
providing patient care. The following lists outline the
typical steps for a patient who is undergoing a scheduled
surgical procedure, as well as an unscheduled procedure.
It is meant to demonstrate methods in which a surgical
procedure is arranged, and the relationships among hos-
pital departments.
The role of the operating room
Surgery is the diagnosis and treatment of medical
injuries, diseases, and deformities by manual or operative
means. It is a fundamental service that the health care
facility provides to a community. A vast assortment of
surgical procedures is performed to treat the medical
conditions within the scope of health care.
A surgical procedure is a delicate and complicated
undertaking. It must be performed in a controlled envi-
ronment with numerous technical resources and a staff
of medical professionals and support personnel. Depen-
ding on the patient and the nature of the surgical pro-
cedure, surgical cases are characterized in one of three
ways: Inpatient, outpatient, and same-day. Inpatient
procedures are performed for patients who have been
admitted to the hospital. Outpatient procedures are
generally for those undergoing minor surgical procedures.
In those cases, the patient typically will undergo a local
anesthetic and will be admitted and released in the same
day. Same-day surgery consists of more extensive cases
Scheduled surgery
The patient consulted a primary care physician.
The primary care physician made a diagnosis and
directed the patient to consult a surgical specialist.
A surgical specialist diagnosed the condition and
confirmed the need for surgical treatment. Images
from the radiology department and test result from
the medical lab aided in the diagnosis.
The surgery date was scheduled, and OR time was
booked.
