Requirements of mandatory accident insurance for hospitals, which participate in inpatient treatment of occupational accident patients: position of the National Reference Center for Hospital Hygiene

Aseptic operations as well as operations on infected sites can be done in the same operating room. Two or more theatres can share common facilities such as X-ray equipment, scrub-up or anaesthesia areas. Sophisticated air locks with double doors, which separate the protective zone from the operating room are not necessary to maintain a good hygienic standard. Nevertheless the new requirements for theatre design by the German "Gesetzliche Unfallversicherungen" are much higher. In this commentary we try to summarize scientific evidence regarding design of a theatre and infection control.