Behaviours and rituals in the operating theatre: A Report from the Hospital Infection Society Working Party on Infection Control in Operating Theatres

In order to provide clear and practical guidelines for infection control practitioners and others working in operating theatres, the Hospital Infection Society (HIS) established a Working Party (WP) on Infection Control in the Operating Theatres in 1999 to examine relevant issues. Three subgroups were established with the following remits: 1. To review the scientific and other evidence for current infection control practices in theatre and following this, to make recommendations on which practices are essential, which are preferred and which are optional or are of little perceived benefit. 2. To produce rational, feasible and applicable guidelines for the environmental monitoring (including bacteriological air sampling) of operating theatre facilities, and specifically to address when monitoring is indicated, how it should be carried out and what action should follow if abnormal. 3. To consider optimal theatre facilities including when ultraclean or conventional operating (theatre) ventilation is required in the light of recent changes in surgical practice such as the increasing use of minimally invasive surgery.