7 4 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J U L Y 2 0 1 7
Do your overhead
lights help prevent
infection? Ours do.
They look like regular
fluorescent light fix-
tures, but the over-
head lights we recent-
ly installed in our 2
joint replacement
operating rooms emit
high-intensity narrow-
spectrum light that
kills harmful bacteria in the air and on hard and soft surfaces
below — providing continuous environmental disinfection regard-
less of whether the room is empty or in use.
Using occupancy sensors, the light-emitting diodes (LEDs) auto-
matically change modes.
• While the room is occupied, "white-disinfection mode" pro-
vides ambient lighting with a slight blue tint. A passing side effect:
Everything appears more yellow for about 30 seconds after you
leave the room as your eyes adjust to the regular fluorescent
lighting.
• When the room is not in use, a motion detector automatically
selects "indigo-disinfection mode" to provide maximum continuous
disinfection. In this mode, the 405-nanometer lights give off a deep
purplish blue tint.
The light reflects off of walls and objects, providing 24/7 disinfec-
SEE THE LIGHT
Disinfection in an OR Light Fixture
• BACTERIA-SLAYING LIGHTS Motion-activated overhead light fixtures
combine white ambient light with 405 nanometers of indigo light in order to
continuously kill harmful bacteria in the OR.
Mike
Pankey,
RN,
MBA
