Ten-Year Evaluation of Thermal Comfort in Operating Rooms

Abstract

The microclimate is a particularly important environmental aspect in operating rooms (ORs), where more than in other hospital environments, it is extremely important, and at the same time extremely difficult, to reconcile the needs of different types of occupants (patients and operators). Moreover, unsuitable microclimatic conditions may affect the onset of infection. The present study aimed to analyze the periodic monitoring of the microclimatic conditions carried out in ORs over 10 years, to verify the adequacy of the thermal comfort conditions for all occupants. The evaluation of thermal comfort was carried out using the Fanger indices and the standards required by current legislation and specific guidelines. Non-compliant values for at least one parameter were found in 98.8% of the examinations performed in the ORs. A condition of thermal discomfort was calculated for 3.6% of healthcare professionals and 98.3% of patients. The monitoring of microclimatic conditions is particularly important in the OR as an indicator of inadequate functioning of the air conditioning system, which might affect the thermal comfort of all occupants and lead to microbial contamination of the room.