Operating Room Performance Optimization Metrics: a Systematic Review

Literature proposes numerous initiatives for optimization of the Operating Room (OR). Despite multiple suggested strategies for the optimization of workflow on the OR, its patients and (medical) staff, no uniform description of ‘optimization’ has been adopted. This makes it difficult to evaluate the proposed optimization strategies. In...

Operating room ventilation systems: recovery degree, cleanliness recovery rate and air change effectiveness in an ultra-clean area

Background: Entrainment test methods are described in most European standards and guidelines to determine the protected area for ultra-clean ventilation (UCV) systems. New UCV systems, such as temperature-controlled airflow (TcAF) and controlled dilution ventilation (cDV) systems, claim the whole operating room (OR) to be ultra-clean. However,...

Effects of Architectural Space Layouts on Energy Performance: A Review

As one of the most important design tasks of building design, space layout design affects the building energy performance (BEP). In order to investigate the effect, a literature review of relevant papers was performed. Ten relevant articles were found and reviewed in detail. First, a methodology for studying the effects of space layouts on BEP...

Gaps and requirements for automatic generation of space layouts with optimised energy performance

Due to the critical need for reducing carbon emissions, the demand for energy-efficient building design is urgent. Studies have shown that space layouts affect energy performance considerably. Energy performance optimisation is able to improve energy performance significantly. However, in order to apply energy performance optimisation to space...

Navigation of guidewires and catheters in the body during intervention procedures: A review of computer-based models

Guidewires and catheters are used during minimally invasive interventional procedures to traverse in vascular system and access the desired position. Computer models are increasingly being used to predict the behavior of these instruments. This information can be used to choose the right instrument for each case and increase the success rate...