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The Design and Utilization of Operating Theatres, edited by Johnston and Hunter, is a primer for those interested in operating room construction or remodeling; however, it falls somewhat short of the flyleaf promise that the book will make planning simple.
It is a chatty, easily read collection of observations made by a 22-member team assembled for a British symposium on design and utilization of operating "theatres."
The loosely integrated essays are frequently repetitious, but give a clear picture of some of the human frustrations that must be accommodated. The chapter on physical layout and air handling reflects the editors' long-term preoccupation with airborne bacterial cross-contamination and specific emphasis on orthopedic total joint replacement. Their attempts at air purification may or may not prove costeffective for ultraclean procedures, but curtains, air direction, and space suits are unlikely solutions for problems associated with the serious operations of the present and future involving