Surgical wound environment.

People are the major source of bacterial contamination in the hospital environment, and to control environmental bacteria, the shedding potential of people must be controlled. In a conventional operating room, the more complete the surgical attire worn by everyone in the room, the better the control; i.e., body exhaust equipment for the anesthesiologist and the scrub nurse is essential. The laminar airflow filter system and ultraviolet light are effective environmental controls for preventing wound contamination.