True or False: Shutting down or cycling the air handler while patients are in surgery greatly increases the risk of infection.

Shutting down or cycling the air handler during surgery indeed increases the risk of infection. Air handlers are crucial in maintaining proper air quality and ventilation in an operating room, which needs to be meticulously controlled to minimize the presence of airborne pathogens. When the air handler is turned off or cycled down, it disrupts the continuous flow of filtered air, which can lead to stale air accumulation and a decrease in the effectiveness of the operating room’s environmental control systems. This can result in an increase in the concentration of microorganisms in the air, which poses a potential threat to sterile conditions necessary for surgeries.

The factors associated with various surgical procedures, such as duration and complexity, may influence the overall risk, but the fundamental principle remains that any interruption in the ventilation system during surgery can contribute to a higher risk of infection, regardless of procedure complexity. Therefore, maintaining an active and properly functioning air handler is vital for patient safety and infection control during surgical operations.