Effective ventilation is foundational to infection control in any operating room. All supply air is routed through HEPA filters to strip out almost all particulates and microbes before entry into the OR. Ventilation schemes use unidirectional airflow: large ceiling diffusers deliver a smooth downward curtain of HEPA-filtered air over the sterile area. This clean-air canopy gently sweeps contaminants downward and away from the surgical field.

• All supply air passes through HEPA filters, removing 99.995% of particulates ≥0.3µm.

• Ceiling-mounted diffusers create a “plenum” of clean air, driving skin squames and droplets downward and away from the sterile zone.

• Some modular OR designs integrate UV-C disinfection into the ceiling. UV-C lamps inactivate airborne pathogens by disrupting microbial DNA/RNA. These systems can run between cases to passively “scrub” the air.