The operating theater meets all the technical requirements for the most delicate operations to be carried out under conditions of maximum sterility: twenty changes of air an hour, complete filters, elimination of anesthetic gases at roof level, independent generator to cope with interruptions in the power supply and automatic UPS system, centralized medical gas plant, two hospital-grade autoclaves for sterilization, etc.
The equipment for general anesthesia is fitted with an automatic ventilator and instruments to monitor cardiac function, arterial pressure, oxygenation of the blood and all the patient’s other life signs. The mono- and bipolar acusector for blood coagulation is suspended from the ceiling so that it does not get in the surgeons’ way. There are two operating lamps. One very important piece of equipment is the fluoroscope. This is a small radiological device that allows extremely low levels of X-rays to be amplified and transformed into an image by a computer. It can be used to produce high-definition radiographic and radioscopic images of the limbs without the need for radioprotection or the presence of a radiologist. It is useful not only for diagnosis but also for checking the correctness and appropriateness of any procedure carried out on the skeleton (e.g. the insertion of screws and plates or the setting of fractures) during the operation.
The equipment used for arthroscopic operations is the most advanced available.
A special room houses the material and equipment for preparing the splints used to protect or mobilize articulations after the operation. These are an essential adjunct to surgery carried out on the hand.
Finally, the air-conditioning plant is located in the basement underneath the operating theater.