[Study of surgical instruments contamination by bacteria from air during the operation].

Routinely sterilized surgical instruments were divided into two groups and put on the same instrument table, one group was covered with dressing and the other was exposed to the air. The samples were collected at 30 min, 60 min, and 90 min respectively after operation began and bacterium culture was done. The results showed that the general air contamination rate of the exposed group was 1.18 times higher than that of the covered one. The exposure time had a positive correlation with bacterium contamination rate. This study gave the laboratory evidence for controlling the infection in the operation room.