Operating Room Protocol

• Clinician must alert the staff of the animal’s status.
• If the potential pathogen will not be inactivated by quaternary ammonium compounds, the staff must be alerted so that adjustments can be made in the disinfection regimen.
• Traffic will be limited to necessary personnel and every attempt shall be made to gather all items necessary for the surgery ahead of time.
• Barriers soaked in disinfectant shall be placed at the door.
• All items used in a contaminated surgery shall be sorted as to whether they are reusable or disposable, double bagged in biohazard bags, and sterilized or incinerated.
• Reusable items that cannot be sterilized shall be thoroughly cleaned with an appropriate disinfectant before leaving the room.
• Scrub suits shall be changed immediately following surgery and placed in biohazard bags for sterilization.
• The surgery suite shall be thoroughly cleaned with an appropriate disinfectant and then left vacant for the remainder of the day.
• If an antibiotic resistant infection is present in an animal and that animal goes into or has been in a surgery room, the room will be cultured.
• If the room cultures detect an antibiotic resistant infection, the room will be closed until room cultures demonstrate adequate cleaning of the room.
• Exceptions may be granted if there is good evidence that the infection has been completely resolved.
• The clinician has the discretion to close a room after any case, if he/she suspects that the room has been contaminated with an organism that has the potential to be antibiotic resistant.