A specialized hospital room in which surgical procedures are performed.
The risk of infection of open wounds during surgery is reduced by a ventilation system that continually provides clean, filtered air, and walls and floors that are easily washable.
Surgeons, assistants, and nurses use sterile brushes and bactericidal soaps to scrub their hands and forearms before putting on sterile gowns, masks, and gloves.
The theatre is equipped with shadowless operating lights; lightboxes for viewing X-ray images; anaesthetic machines (see anaesthesia, general); and a diathermy machine, which controls bleeding.
A heart–lung machine may also be used.
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