This document discusses the importance of asepsis and surgical asepsis. It defines asepsis as the state of being free from microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Surgical asepsis involves proper preparation of facilities, equipment, surgical site, and surgical team to prevent infection. This includes practices like hand washing, skin preparation, sterilizing instruments, and wearing proper attire. It emphasizes maintaining a sterile field during procedures and limiting movement and conversation to minimize contamination. Strict aseptic techniques help reduce the need for antibiotics after surgery.

1. IS THE FOUNDATION
ANTIBIOTICS – NOT A
SUBSTITUTE

2. Definition
 Asepsis is the state of being free from
disease-causing contaminants (such as
bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites) or,
preventing contact with microorganisms.
 The term asepsis often refers to those
practices used to promote or induce asepsis
in an operative field in surgery or medicine
to prevent infection.

4. ASEPSIS
Medical Surgical
any practice that
helps reduce the
number and spread
of microorganisms.
the complete
removal of
microorganisms and
their spores from the
surface of an object

6. Source of
infectious
organisms
Exogenous Endogenous
 Operating
room(air)
 Surgical
instruments
 Surgical
team
• Patient’s
resident
flora
• MOST
IMPORTA
NT
SOURCE

7. CHAIN OF
INFECTION

9. Surgical asepsis
involves proper
preparation of
Facilities &
environment
Surgical site
Surgixcal
equipment
Surgical
team

10. Surgical asepsis
Interrupting at the
level of casuative
organism & reservoir
Interrupting at the level
of portal of exit & entry
 Hand washing
 Patient skin
preparation
 Disinfectants on
objeects
 Sterilisation of
instruments &
drapes
 Proper attire
 Gloves, gown,
mask, surgical
drapes

12. During the procedure
 The following precautions must be taken by the
scrub practitioner:
 The sterile field should be constantly observed
and not left unattended at any time
 Conversation should be kept to a minimum in the
surgical area
 The number of personnel in the theatre and
around the surgical field should be limited
 Movement around the sterile field, including the
opening and closing of doors should be kept to a
minimum
 Non-perforating devices should be used to secure
equipment to the sterile field

13.  Non-sterile equipment should be covered
with sterile barriers before placing them in or
over the sterile field
 Scrub staff should remain should remain close
to the sterile field
 When changing positions scrub staff should
pass back-to-back or face-to-face
 Scrubbed staff should avoid changing levels,
ie sitting and standing
 A wide space should be observed between
scrubbed staff and non-scrubbed staff
 The level of the surgical field is established by
the level of the surgical site

14.  The following precautions must be taken by unsterile
staff:
 Unsterile staff should face the sterile field on
approach
 Unsterile staff should not touch or lean over the
sterile field
 Unsterile staff should not walk between two
components of the sterile field
 If extra items are required to be added to the sterile
field the packaging must be inspected to ensure that:
 It is the required item.
 The package integrity has been maintained.
 The sterilisation indicator is present.
 It has not exceeded its expiry date.
 The packaging is not wet

15.  Removal of microorganisms and their spores
must be complete, or the article is not sterile.
 Disinfection
 To remove as many micoorganisms as possible
from a surface by physical or chemical means.
 Articles or surfaces that cannot be sterilized in the
OR or special procedure room must be disinfected.

18. Proper hand washing

19. Opening sterile pack

20. Passing sterile object to a
sterile person

21. Putting an object in the
sterile field

22. Transferring a sterile
object

23. Draping for Sterile
Procedure

24. Removing and
Reapplying Dressings
• You must not remove or reapply dressing
• All dressings must be treated as if they are
contaminated, because drainage from
wounds may harbor pathogenic
microorganisms

25. • By following such simple day to day practices
in the operating room we can minimise the
infection rates
• Hence surgeons may even not rely on
antibiotics for the complete result of their
surgical outcome without any infective
complications