Role of Ultraviolet Disinfection in the Prevention of Surgical Site Infections.

The role of the environment in surgical site infections is surprisingly understudied. UV disinfection holds promise for reducing the level of contamination in operating rooms and thereby lowering the risk of infection for patients. Issues such as the frequency, amount and locations for UV disinfection to have an impact on the risk of surgical site infection are recently emerging in the literature. As technologies and knowledge improve, UV disinfection will have a role to play in operating rooms in the future.