SAFETY OF A CLEAN-AIR STORAGE HOOD FOR OPHTHALMIC INSTRUMENTS IN THE OPERATING-ROOM

PURPOSE: Evaluation of the safety of a laminar flow clean air hood for the sterile storage of ophthalmic instruments in an operating room. M ETHODS: A ten year retrospective study of 10,524 surgical procedures p erformed with instruments stored in a clean air hood was conducted at the Mayo Clinic. Cases of postoperative endophthalmitis were identifie d through review of the diagnostic indices maintained by the ophthalmo logy department and the institution and through review of individual p atient records. RESULTS: The incidence of endophthalmitis in surgical cases in which instruments stored in a clean air hood were used was 0. 076% (eight of 10,524 cases). No clusters of infection were identified . CONCLUSIONS: The use of a laminar flow clean air hood provides acces s to surgical instruments in a high-volume operating room without expo sing patients to an increased risk of endophthalmitis.