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Based in southern Sweden, the company has developed an innovative air ventilation system that provides ultra clean air in operating rooms to prevent surgical site infections caused via airborne bacteria.

The company has more than 250 installations in mainly Sweden and the Netherlands, as well as their own state-of-the-art laboratories in Sweden and Germany to study different ventilation solutions in operating rooms (hereinafter referred to as OR). The company is in close collaboration with leading research facilities in both Sweden and Germany. First German, Swiss and US clinical reference centers were established in 2018/2019. It is seen as a new innovative product in the area of infection control for operating rooms and preparation/sterile rooms.

Due to the COVID-19 situation there is an increased demand for ultra-clean air in other hospital areas. The system is customizable for any surgical workflow and clean hospital area including operating theaters, labs, CSSDs, ICUs, isolation rooms and pharmacies. It not only protects the patient, it also minimizes the risk for the staff as the the airflow in controlled in best possible way.

There are basically three ways of protecting the patient from airborne bacteria-carrying particles:
1. Occlusive clothing system that stops the particles/bacteria from leaving the body and becoming airborne.
2. Limiting the number of staff working in the theatre.
3. Efficient ventilation that wicks away and/or dilutes the levels of airborne CFU (Colony Forming Units) and prevents them from reaching the wound or the instruments.

The Swedish solution offers effective ventilation against airborne bacteria-carrying particles and viruses in the whole OR during ongoing surgery.

During the developing and test phase of the ventilation system it was discovered that it takes a difference in temperature between 1.5 to 2°C to ensure the required air speed at the level of the operating table of 0.25 m/s which is needed to push the bacteria down and away. The difference is between the supplied clean and filtered air and the surrounding air at the level of the operating table. The system constantly monitors and controls that the supplied air has an under temperature of 1.5-2°C regardless of the temperature of the surrounding air. The ventilation concept takes up little space and is installed in the ceiling, which unlike previous inventions does not disturb the working environment of the staff.

There are also other advantages of the Swedish air ventilation system. Apart from providing ultra clean air in the whole OR, the air ventilation system provides extremely low microbiological burden (CFU), 30% energy savings compared to traditional systems, very pleasant room temperature for all staff members (no cold necks), low noise level, and no additional heating systems are needed in the OR. As the system keeps the whole operating room ultra-clean the protected zone thinking is not needed and the instrument table does not need to be squeezed into the normal protected zone.

After successful installations in Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and Norway, the Swedish company is looking for partners that can introduce the system to the British and the Austrian market, as well as to broader the presence on the German market. The future distributing partners are most likely companies offering OR-lamps, operating tables, OR-ventilation, hospital modules for operating rooms or other fixed installed products for operating theatres. Another criteria, in order to achieve success on the market, is that the company must have a good network among decision makers concerning construction or renovation of operating theatres, and has experience in working closely with hospital planners and architects, as well as hospital personnel.

Advantages & innovations

- Increased patient safety through ultra-clean air in the whole operating theatre (0-3 CFU/m3 over the patient wound and instrument table, 5 CFU/m3 in the rest of the operating room). There is no other OR ventilation solution with these values. - 30% less running costs compared to other similar systems. - Low noise level in the operating room. - A pleasant working environment for all personnel working in the operating theatre. Constant temperature zones for all and no cold drafts for the staff around the operating table - No need for additional heating system in the walls. - The airflow is controlled in best possible way without any turbulence disturbance from OR-lamps, technical equipment and personal. - The whole OR can be seen as a clean zone, The instrument table can be placed outside of the "traditional" clean zone with minimized risk for contamination.

Stage of development

Already on the market

Partner sought

In order to achieve success on the British, Austrian and German market, the partner/distributor must have a good network among decision makers concerning construction or renovation of operating theatres, and has experience in working closely with hospital planners and architects as well as hospital personnel. Most likely the company is handling OR-tables, OR-lamps and other surgical machinery for the OR. Knowledge of system integration of data and control systems in the OR is also a great advantage.