COMBINED OPERATING ROOM / INTENSIVE CARE UNIT DEVICE THE RELATED ART

The present invention relates to electromechanical systems used in operation rooms and intensive care units of hospitals.

The invention relates to a combined operating room / intensive care unit device comprising all of the needs of an operating room as a package, which are: air conditioning system, isolated power system (special system of electricity intended for preventing possible power outages in operating room etc. critical areas and controlling the quality of electricity), uninterruptible power supply, room lighting control, surgical pendant lamp control, camera control, music system, phone, medical gas alarm system, automation system, operating room computer, material monitoring system, and PACS system (Picture Archiving and Communication System: it is the software and hardware platform wherein the pictures and reports obtained from the medical imaging device are archived, displayed, and processed). Other properties can also be added to the system as a package within the concept of combined operating room / intensive care unit device. This system also can be used for critical places like laboratories, clean rooms etc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Air conditioning; is conditioning of air for a certain purpose. Air conditioning can be categorized into various categories. For instance, if the purpose is to prepare the required environment (such as a clean room) for an industrial operation, it is called industrial air conditioning; and if the purpose is to ensure comfort of people, it is called as comfort air conditioning. In daily life, air conditioning is needed in house, office, workplace etc. indoor spaces. However, it is also preferred to obtain a sterile environment in hospitals by air conditioning. For example, operating rooms are the most critical areas of hospitals in terms of architectural, mechanical (air conditioning, medical gas installation, sanitary installation), electrical, and automation systems. Errors made in design or operation of the system may cause problems leading to loss of human life.

One of the main ways of communication of diseases is; contacting of disease- causing bacteria with the wounded, open wound, and/or defenceless regions of body via substances and particles (infection by direct contact). Another way is to breathe the particles and aerosols carrying disease causing micro organisms (air-borne infection). Removal of bacteria from the subjects having cause of disease is made via disinfection and sterilization. Prevention of the particles carrying disease causing micro organisms from having contact with wounded, open wound, and/or defenceless regions of the body, controlling the numbers, sizes, and retention times of the particles, and preventing them from leaking into risky regions are ensured via hygienic air conditioning installation. This installation also has to ensure thermal comfort of people found in the area. Therefore, in hygienic air conditioning; in addition to the parameters controlled in the comfort air conditioning; air movements within the space, numbers of the particles and micro organisms in the air, and the air pressure (in order to prevent unwanted air movements) also have to be kept under control. In the prior applications, the systems used in operating rooms / intensive care units are formed of several pieces, these are purchased from different companies, and thus their installations have to be made by different personnel in different times. Therefore, significant problems occur in coordinating tens of people and systems, quality decreases due to these problems, while the cost increases and the installation period averagely takes months. Since the productions are made in work site, quality monitoring becomes difficult and standardization is impossible. Each project would have its own problems.

In Figure 1 , air conditioning of two operating rooms in the conventional system is shown. In the air handling unit (A), the air heated in the winter and cooled in the summer is carried to the rooms via the air ducts (B) found within the suspended ceiling. In conventional systems, air handling unit uses the hot water coming from the boiler for heating and uses the cold water coming from the chiller (device producing cold water) for cooling. Operating rooms are always desired to be about 10 Pa with regard to external environments and the reason of this is to eliminate the particles which may be carried from external mediums via air. Besides, the HEPA filters (F) used in the vent-holes in operating rooms generate pressure as they get dirty. VAV (Variable Air Volume) device (C) has to be used in the system in order to overcome this pressure and maintain the positive pressure balance in the room. This device (C) continuously measures the flow rate of the passing air and adjusts the air flow rate via the flap found on it. Control of this device (C) is ensured by the central automation system. Since more than one operating room is air conditioned by a single air handling unit (A), electric resistance (D) is used in operating rooms in order to reach desired temperatures. This resistance (D) automatically steps in according to the needs of the user. Shut-off dampers (E) are used in order to prevent entrance of air into the operating room with natural flow when the air handling unit (A) stops or power outage occurs.

Temperature control is required in the operating room according to the characteristics of the operation made. For example, while 16-18°C temperature is required in cardiology operations, 26°C temperature is required in paediatric surgeries. This is tried to be obtained in the operating rooms with central air conditioning systems by re-heating the cooled air with the help of the resistance (D) found in the operating room suspended ceiling. For example, for a paediatric surgery to be made in the summer, the air cooled to 14°C by the central air conditioner has to be heated back to 29°C by the operating room resistance (D). This means wasting significant amount of energy. With the practical observations, this system is observed to have high operating cost, not to work most of the time, and not to provide the desired comfort.

When central air conditioning system is used for more than one ICU (intensive care unit) and other related spaces together, similar troubles may occur on reaching targeted set points of temperature and humidity.

Packaged hygienic air conditioners having air conditioning centrals intended for operating rooms and intensive care units provide only a portion of cooling and cooling automation as a package. These systems only form a part of the system required in operating rooms. They are only designed as air conditioner equipments and they do not have any other function.

Air conditioning systems, isolated power systems, and automation systems of operating rooms / intensive care units are centrally operated. While design of these systems vary for each application, projects these systems having significant amount of relation with each other are designed by different companies and thus incompatibility problems frequently occur. These unorganized and independent processes extend the period of mounting and increase total production cost. In hospital buildings, compatibility problems of interconnected systems occur during mounting or implementation of the system and thus revisions are made in the system. These revisions made are mostly not entered in the projects and thus lead to much bigger problems in the future. In the prior applications, during project designing of the operating room / intensive care unit volumes, which characteristically differ from each other in substantial amount, similar procedures is followed with the other volumes of the hospital and original projects specific to each hospital occur in the end. In conventional operating room and intensive care units, a lot of equipments belonging to air conditioner, electricity, and automation systems have to be mounted within the suspended ceiling. However, there has to be unity in the suspended ceiling of the operating room and its adjacent volumes in terms of sealing. For instance, sometimes it is impossible to intervene in the VAV device (C) or electric heater (D) found in the suspended ceiling.

As a result of the systems being designed in connection with each other, large amount of space has to be spared for the air conditioner, electricity, and automation systems. Besides, these areas cause loss of space within the building and the areas spared for these either can not meet the demand or unexploited areas occur due to designing and mounting of these systems by different companies. Modern equipments (air conditioning system, isolated power system, cameras, lighting system, music system, medical gas alarm system, automation system, and PACS system etc.) used in operation rooms / intensive care units are supplied from different manufacturers (most of the time from different countries). The automation system required for controlling of these in coordination is designed and applied again for each hospital project. Every system is open to potential errors because of being the first. However, operating room volumes do not accept fault. The tiniest defect occurring in the energy infrastructure, lighting system, or medical gas system could cost the patient's life during operation.

In hospitals, generally, all of the operating room / intensive care unit volumes or some of them as a group are air conditioned by a common air conditioner. According to the DIN 1946-4 standard, which is well accepted in Turkey, Europe, and the world, in case of air conditioning of more than one operating rooms / intensive care units by a single device, the air sucked commonly from the locale has to be completely discharged and the air taken from outside has to be warmed/cooled according to requirements and then given into the locale. This means taking air from outside, warming or cooling it and then giving it into the locale instead of using the already conditioned, filtered air found inside the locale. This significantly increases operating costs.

Since the central isolated power system, uninterruptible power supply, and automation system used in the prior systems are systems designed again each time, they are vulnerable against malfunctioning. A defect which could occur may lead to problems in all operating rooms at the same time.

For example, in the prior applications, isolated power system, air conditioning system, medical gas alarm system, and wall and ceiling coverings are procured from different manufacturers and mounted by different personnel. In the prior applications, in order to ensure operation of these systems in coordination with each other, each work sites has to make modifications every time. In conventional systems, operating rooms / intensive care units are formed in work site by different teams most of the time working with each other for the first time. Due to work site conditions, negative environmental and weather conditions also significantly reduce mounting quality. The work being done each time in a different way makes documentation quite difficult and leads to significant problems in terms of total quality management.

In order to eliminate the above said drawbacks, a combined operating room/ intensive care unit device, which is appropriate for use in places like operating rooms and intensive care units which require monitoring and control from all angles, which comprises all of the needs of an operating room or intensive care unit as a package, which are: air conditioning system, isolated power system, uninterruptible power supply, room lighting control, surgical pendant lamp control, camera control, music system, phone, medical gas alarm system, automation system, operating room computer, operating room material monitoring system, and PACS system, and which has various advantages, would be able to meet significant technical requirements.

The intensive care unit and laboratory versions of developed combined operating room devices are respectively named as combined intensive care unit device and combined laboratory device

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Main purpose of the invention is adding new capabilities to combined operating room device, enlarging the application areas to eliminate the technical drawbacks of the prior art by meeting all the demands of operating room, intensive care unit and similar critical areas as a package comprising air conditioning system, isolated power system, uninterruptible power supply, room lighting control, surgical pendant lamp control, camera control, music system, phone, medical gas alarm system, automation system, operating room computer, material monitoring system, and PACS systems.

Within this framework, the purpose of the invention is to develop a combined operating room / intensive care unit device, which is standard due to being factory- made manufactured, and therefore parts of which are designed, checked, and quality control of which are made in the factory. Contrary to conventional systems, since it is suitable for standard manufacturing, the product cost is much more reasonable than standard systems. Since the performance tests of the "combined operating room / intensive care unit device" is made in the factory and all of the systems are exactly same except the optional equipments, service can easily be provided to the system. Since the system is standard and present as a package, it provides opportunity for the technician to gain learned handicraft and use it in service and maintenance operations. Therefore, service period and costs become significantly reduced.

Optional DC inverter compressor used in the combined operating room / intensive care unit device automatically reduces compressor rotation when system cooling demand is low and thus provides significant energy saving with regard to conventional systems. Due to the idea behind the operation of the inverter compressor, longer copper pipe distance becomes available for the condenser unit. Capacity control can be optionally made by standard compressor and hot gas bypass valve instead of the DC inverter compressor when desired. The loss of energy encountered in the conventional central system due to heating of the air coming from the central air conditioner according to the demand of the operating room / intensive care unit is not encountered when the combined operating room device is used. By this means, significant energy saving is achieved during cooling and heating. It is activated in case of occurrence of a problem in the hot water provided to the system by the electric heater boiler.

The electric resistance found in the system operates proportionally in contrast to the conventional devices and helps achieving the desired temperature accurately when needed.

The automation system has the feature of informing the user or the manufacturer company via e-mail or sms about automation system failures when desired. The automation system can be intervened in through web browser by using computer or cell phone which has the appropriate system requirements without needing any program and thus online support can be given to the user.

In conventional systems, isolated power supply, air conditioner, uninterruptible power supply, medical gas alarm system, camera system etc. are procured from different manufacturers and mounted in different places. These systems are positioned in different places and they serve the complete building. However, integration problems frequently occur, since the structural characteristics of operating room / intensive care unit systems are different. Whereas, a package system is provided with the combined operating room device, in which these problems are completely tested and eliminated.

Significant amount of place is saved via the compact design of the combined operating room / intensive care unit device, and the isolated power system, uninterruptible power supply, automation, air conditioning system, and other systems are collected in a single body and thus ease of placement and mounting is achieved. Combined operating room device can be mounted in the operating room / intensive care unit corridor or even in a small room without needing large mechanic spaces thanks to its compact structure and quiet operation. In this way, independent combined systems are obtained for each operating room. Developed system provides great advantage for spaces with high cost per metre square such as hospital buildings.

In the prior applications, the telemedicine (recording of surgery videos and watching live from a distant place), material monitoring, and PACS systems are bought from different companies and used on wheeled tables in the operating room / intensive care units. This unnecessarily occupies space in the operating room / intensive care unit and forms risk in terms of hygiene. With the combined operating room / intensive care unit device, all of these systems are collected in a single body and brought into a shape that they would not occupy any place in the operating room / intensive care unit. Since the entire air duct connections of the device are found at the top, connection to the operating room and intensive care unit duct system becomes very easy. It can be placed in adjacent rooms to the operating room / intensive care unit or in a separate installation room.

Isolated power system found in the combined operating room / intensive care unit device is designed in a way that it would control all of the plugs and lamps found in the operating room and intensive care unit. Integrated isolated power system continuously checks the isolation problems, leaks, and grounding resistance of the operating room devices, and in case of an error, it gives error message instead of cutting the electricity off. Its advantage is seen by not cutting all the operating room or intensive care unit electricity off because of a short circuited operating room lamp or due to any short circuit problem. Since the combined operating room device is connected to the building electricity system through the isolated transformer, the patient or the operating room / intensive care unit personnel is protected against electric shocks due to possible electric leaks. There are three electrical feed inputs in the system. These are; air conditioner feed, primary electricity power, and secondary electricity power. In case of power outage, the system automatically activates alternative feed within 500 milliseconds.

Two UPS (uninterruptible power supply) devices found in the system as a standard step in when power outage occurs. In this way, no power blackout is encountered in the operating room / intensive care unit. Power supplies can be demounted from the device and remounted in a sliding manner without closing the system. Two power supplies operate in a parallel manner.

Two user interfaces are found in the system. The first one of these is control panel and the second one is the operating room / intensive care unit computer (formed of embedded monitor, embedded DVD driver, embedded keyboard mouse, and embedded printer). On the operator room computer or intensive care unit computer, it is also possible to access all of the functions of the control panel. Music and camera control systems are integrated to the system. Images obtained from the camera system can be saved in the hard disc or can be written on DVD. Images obtained from the camera system can be online broadcasted through the internet.

Hospital information system and PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System: it is a software and hardware platform wherein the images and reports obtained from the medical monitoring device are archived, viewed again, and processed) system can be accessed through the system interface. In this way, information of the patient and medical images and reports can be accessed from the operating room / intensive care unit and this information can be revised.

The system support DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine: digital storing and transfer standard for special images and reports used by medical imaging devices) protocol. Therefore, medical images formed in the operating room / intensive care unit can easily be transferred to hospital information systems.

Combined operating room / intensive care unit device used independently for each operating room / intensive care unit enables adjusting the temperature with regard to the type of the operation or within the conditions of standards which is mentioned above and user preferences. The system can also make humidity control when desired.

Since the system is designed and manufactured to be factory-made, there is only one addressee in case of a problem and thus solution of the problems can be easily pursued. Improvements can also be made in the system due to possible problems in the system within the framework of total quality policy.

System main controller operates on open architecture base and supports LON, MODBUS, BacNet, DICOM etc. all commonly used protocols. Therefore, control of all kinds of device to be added in the operating room or intensive care unit in the future can easily be made through this system. For example C-arm portable X-ray device to be added in the operating room can be easily connected to the system through the DICOM protocol. There is no need to go up to the system for introducing a device which is not defined in the system and the software found on the device can be revised by remote access.

All the equipments and materials used in the operating room have to be kept under record according to surgical rules because a material forgotten inside the patient during operation would result in un-repairable problems. In the prior applications, although there are equipments and software about operating room material management, great problems occur in mounting and usage of these equipments later on in the operating room. With the equipment and software found in the combined operating room device, the equipments and consumable materials used in the operating room are reported before and after the operation and these reports can be printed out from the embedded printer. Similarly, materials and devices placed in intensive care unit are chained through material monitoring system. Material monitoring system provides to trace materials maintenance process and the system can provide data output over built in printer provided.

If a hospital information system infrastructure is present, the combined operating room / intensive care unit device can implement data sharing of all the data and reports created and used in the system through HL7 standard. For example, the names of the operating room / intensive care unit personnel or the consumable materials used in the operation or intensive care unit can be transferred to the hospital information system through this protocol.

Developed combined operating room / intensive care unit device can be offered to customers as a package together with the other equipments used (laminar flow device, pendant lamp, camera etc.) or the combined operating room / intensive care unit device can be offered to customers alone. Since the combined operating room / intensive care unit device offers all of the equipments which may be necessary for operating room / intensive care unit as a package, there is also opportunity to use the operating room / intensive care unit walls and ceiling in a standard ready-to-mount state. Within this framework, all of the operating room / intensive care unit volume can be mounted and be made ready to use in a short time. In order to achieve the said purposes, a combined operating room / intensive care unit device used in operating rooms and intensive care units of hospitals is developed and it comprises,

- main body, which is placed inside the hospital, and which comprises air conditioning system, isolated power system, uninterruptible power supply, room lighting control, surgical pendant lamp control, camera control, music system, phone, medical gas alarm system, automation system, operating room / intensive care unit computer, material monitoring system, and PACS system needed in the operating room / intensive care unit,

- exterior unit placed at out of the hospital,

- a panel, which is positioned in the said main body, and which integrally comprises the needs of all of the systems (air conditioning system, isolated power system, automation system, camera control etc.) related to the operating room / intensive care unit,

- air duct connection system connected from above,

- at least one aspirator for air suction from the operating room / intensive care unit,

- at least one ventilator for transferring air into the operating room / intensive care unit,

- steam humidifier for increasing the humidity level of air,

- first level filter for clearing particles from the air going into the operating room / intensive care unit,

- recirculation system for reducing air volume passing over heat exchangers.

- second level filter for clearing particles from the air going into the operating room / intensive care unit,

- an uninterruptible power supply positioned in the said main body,

- cooling battery comprising cooler fluid for cooling the air passing through,

- heating battery for heating the air via hot water,

- electric resistance as the after heating for dehumidification operation or in cases when there is no hot water,

- hygienic muffler for preventing the sound originating from the fans,

- expansion valve for providing expansion of the fluid found inside the cooling battery, - control valve for controlling the hot water amount passing through the heating battery,

- control panel integrated with the main body in order to provide control of the system by the user via touch-operated user interface,

- barcode/RFID reader, which is positioned in the operating room or intensive care unit in connection with the said main body in order to provide management of materials used in operation or definition of the patient,

- medical monitor placed in the operating room / intensive care unit in connection with the main body in order to display the images coming from the said pendant camera or other image sources (operating room microscope, arthroscopy device etc.)

- DVD driver placed in the operating room in connection with the main body in order to provide data input-output into and out of the system,

- Ethernet and USB connection placed in the operating room in connection with the main body in order to provide data input-output into and out of the system,

- embedded keyboard placed in the operating room / intensive care unit in connection with the main body in order to provide data input-output into and out of the system by the user,

- embedded printer placed in the operating room / intensive care unit in connection with the main body in order to provide taking print out by the user,

- mouse placed in the operating room / intensive care unit in connection with the main body in order to provide data input-output into and out of the system, and

- video audio input/output ports placed in the operating room / intensive care unit in connection with the main body in order to provide data input-output into and out of the system.

In a preferred application of the invention, it comprises air duct connection system positioned at the upper part of the said main body. In a preferred application of the invention said air duct connection system comprises air connection from the operating room / intensive care unit, air connection to the operating room / intensive care unit, fresh air connection, and exhaust air connection. 14 11 000102

In a preferred application of the invention said exterior unit comprises condenser, compressor, and frequency converter.

FIGURES FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE INVENTION

Figure-1 ; is the schematic view of air conditioning of two operating rooms of the prior art with conventional system.

Figure-2; is the perspective top view of a preferred embodiment of said combined operating room / intensive care unit device in mounted state.

Figure-3; is the perspective front view of a preferred embodiment of said combined operating room / intensive care unit device in demounted state.

Figure-4a; is the perspective side view of a preferred embodiment of said combined operating room / intensive care unit device in demounted state.

Figure-4b; is the other perspective side view of a preferred embodiment of said combined operating room / intensive care unit device in demounted state,

Figure-5; is the perspective view of a preferred embodiment of said combined operating room / intensive care unit device in mounted state in interior of operating room.

Figure-6; is the perspective view of a preferred embodiment of said combined operating room / intensive care unit device mounted state in interior of intensive care unit.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

1. Main body

2. Exterior unit

3. Isolation and Power Transfer Panel/Board

4. Air Duct Connection System

5. Air Connection from the Operating Room

6. Air Connection to the Operating Room

7. Fresh Air Connection

8. Exhaust Air Connection

9. Aspirator

10. Ventilator

11. Humidifier 12. First Level Filter

13. Automation Panel/Board

14. Second Level Filter

15. Isolation Transformer

16. Uninterruptible Power Supply

17. Cooling Battery

18. Heating Battery

19. Electric Resistance

20. Hygienic Muffler

21. Expansion Valve

22. Control Valve

23. Control Panel

24. Laminar Flow Device

25. Pendant Camera

26. Barcode/RFID Reader

27. Medical Monitor

28. DVD Driver

29. USB Connections

30. Embedded Keyboard

31. Embedded Printer

32. Operating Room

33. Mouse

34. Inside of Hospital

35. Outside of Hospital

36. Pendant Lamp

37. Video Audio Input / Output Ports

38. Recirculation System

39. Intensive Care Unit

A. Air Handler Unit

B. Air Duct

C. VAV Device

D. Electric Resistance E. Shut-off Damper

F. HEPA Filter

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In this detailed description, the preferred embodiments of the combined operating room / intensive care unit device, which is the subject of the invention, will only be disclosed for better understanding of the subject, and will not form any limiting effect.

Combined operating room / intensive care unit device is principally formed of two separate bodies. In Figure-2, the perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the said combined operating room / intensive care unit device is given in mounted state from above the operating room (32). As it would be seen here, the main body (1 ) of the device comprises all of the electromechanical systems, which would be required in the operating room (32) or intensive care unit (39), as a package and it is placed inside the hospital (34). In this way, incompatibility problems encountered in the prior art are eliminated. The device is transferred to the hospital after being produced and tested in the factory together with all the components found in it.

Said main body (1 ) is connected to the outside of the hospital (35) via fresh air connection (7) and exhaust air connection (8), and it is connected to the operating room (32) via the air connection from the operating room (5). Moreover, via the air connection to the operating room (6), it is connected to the laminar flow device (24) positioned on the operating room (32). Said device (24) reduces risk of infection by creating filtrated laminar air flow on the operation table and medical instruments. In the intensive care unit (39) application, air which is coming to the intensive care unit (39), goes through first level filter (12) and then goes through second level filter (14). Finally this filtered air goes through HEPA filter (F) and then purely cleared air given to the intensive care unit (39). Thanks to the system the number of the particles on the air and the risk of infection will be reduced.

The exterior unit (2) of the air conditioning system comprises condenser, compressor, and frequency converter and it is positioned outside the hospital (35). The compressor can optionally be mounted in the interior unit (1 ) for ease of service. The DC inverter compressor found in the exterior unit (2) consumes much less electricity than the prior systems by slowing down its rotational speed when cooling demand is low. The combined operating room / intensive care unit device comprising variable flow rate flow cooler fluid system provides the facility for much longer exterior unit (2) copper pipe distance. The R410 gas used in the system is an environmentally friendly gas. The R407 gas used in the prior systems is formed of mixing of various gases. Therefore, in order to add this gas into the system, all of the gas found in the system has to be removed and then the system has to be refilled. Whereas, addition of gas into the system is possible in the combined operating room / intensive care unit device using R410 gas. The system can be produced in a way that different cooler fluids are used in it according to the customer demands. A standard compressor instead of the frequency inverter compressor and hot gas bypass valve for capacity control can optionally be used in the system. In the systems comprising many operating rooms (32) or intensive care units (39), cooling can be ensured by chiller or more than one operating rooms (32) or intensive care units (39) can be cooled by using cooler fluid from a central exterior unit according to the customer demand. In Figure-3, the perspective front view of a preferred embodiment of the said combined operating room / intensive care unit device is given in unmounted state. In this way, the details and way of operation of the components comprised by the combined operating room / intensive care unit device are summarized. The isolation and power transfer panel (3) found in the device supplies power to all of the electric devices found in the operating room (32) / intensive care unit (39). Isolated power system with transfer unit is found on the isolation and power transfer panel (3). Isolation transformer (15) operates in coordination with the isolation and power transfer panel (3) and the power supplied to the operating room (32) is fed in an isolated manner. In this system, the operating room (32) / intensive care unit (39) is fed by two independent sources and when failure occurs in the mains or the voltage of the individual feeding source goes below 90% or exceeds in 15% ratio (these limits also can be changed by user), the other source becomes activated within 500 milliseconds. The air conditioner found in the system has independent power supply. In this way, the air conditioner does not use the energy supplied by the uninterruptible power supply (16) in case of power outages. In case of isolation error in the operating room (32) / intensive care unit (39), instead of cutting of mains power supply, the system gives error message to the user and makes error detection. Besides the operating room (32) users, all of the error messages can also be delivered to the technical personnel through the building automation system. All of the plugs and lighting electricity demand in the operating room (32) / intensive care unit (39) are fed by the uninterruptible power supply (16). While this system (16) is completely independent in the prior systems, it is found as a standard in the combined operating room / intensive care unit device. Operating room / intensive care unit computer is also found on the automation panel (13).

High pressure or low pressure information coming from the medical gas systems or analogue information of the pressure can be connected to the automation panel (13). In this way, the system alarms the user when there is a problem in medical gases.

An electric system of the air conditioning device and an automation system which can control all of the equipments in the operating room (32) / intensive care unit (39), automation need of systems, control all analogue and digital data inputs / outputs of the system are found on the automation panel (13). This automation system operates on the MODBUS based open protocol and it can be controlled through the touch screen found on the control panel (23) placed in the operating room (32) / intensive care unit (39). All of the control panel (23) functions can be accessed through the operating room / intensive care unit computer. The system continuously checks the electric coming into the device and the alternative current frequency and grounding resistance are monitored for protecting the operating room (32) / intensive care unit (39) devices. The automation system can communicate with the building management system when desired. For service, maintenance, or support purposes, the system can access the internet via password without needing any program. The system can make; stop-watch control, operating room (32) busy lamp control, clock control, room lighting control, temperature-humidity control, local pressure difference control, monitoring of filter states indicators, monitoring of medical gas system alarm indicators, monitoring and reporting of medical gas pressures, monitoring of isolated power system alarm indicators, operation lamps control, music system control, camera system control, material monitoring system control, and phone system control. Device parameters can be observed and changed on a screen found on the system by authorized service personal via password.

In case of a possible failure in the device automation system, the lighting system is designed in a way that, energy would automatically be supplied to all of the lighting system when the automation system becomes inactivated. It is also possible to manually deactivate the automation system. In this way, in both cases, lighting would be provided to the operating room (32) or intensive care unit (39).

Since the entire air duct connections (4) of the device are found at the upper part, the device can easily be fitted into a small room or a division found in the corridor. Some of the air coming into the combined operating room / intensive care unit device through the air connection from the operating room / intensive care unit (5) is given into the exhaust air connection (8) via a plug-type aspirator (9) and thus discharged to external environment. The air is firstly passed through the first level filter (12) in order to clear particles from the air. Pollution formed in the operation room (32) due to narcosis gases is prevented with at least 1200 m ³ /h fresh air taken from the external medium outside of the hospital (35) according to the DIN 1946-4:2008 standards through the fresh air connection (7).

In Figure-4a, the perspective side view of a preferred embodiment of said combined operating room / intensive care unit device in demounted state is shown. The automation system warms the air with the heating battery (18) according to the temperature desired in the operating room (32) / intensive care unit (39). This battery (18) is commanded by the automation system according to the heating demand via control valve (22). When cooling demand occurs, the valve (21 ) and the cooling battery (17) make proportional cooling. When increase of humidification is required in the air, humidifier ( 1 ) steps in and adds steam into the air. When heating hot water is not found and heating is required or during dehumidification, triac controlled proportional electric resistance (19) steps in and heats the air as final heater. This air is given to the second level filter (14) with the help of a plug-type ventilator (10) and then to the air connection to the operating room / intensive care unit (6). Conditioned air passes through the hygienic mufflers (20) and thus a great portion of the sound formed in the fans is absorbed (Figure 4b).

Plug-type aspirator (9) fan and the ventilator (10) fan found in the system can be pulled outwards by sliding with the purposes of cleaning and maintenance. The purpose for selecting the plug-type fans is to facilitate cleaning and maintenance comfortably. Combined operating room / intensive care unit device can be produced in various capacities according to needs. Fan capacity and models can be changed according to demand and needs. It can be used at other areas.

In Figure-5, the perspective of a preferred embodiment of the said combined operating room / intensive care unit device is given in mounted state as showing inside of the operating room (32) / intensive care unit (39). All of the equipments found in the operating room (32) / intensive care unit (39) are controlled over the touch screen panel (23) mounted on the anaesthesia pendant lever or operating room (32) wall in an embedded manner. The touch screen comprises;

- Main menu

Negatoscope control

Stop-watch control

Operating room busy control

Clock control

Room lighting control

Temperature, humidity control

Local pressure difference control

Filter states indicators

Medical gas system alarm indicators

Isolated power system alarm indicators

Operation lamps control

Record operation log information (recording temperature, humidity, alarm states etc. during the operation)

- Music control

Music selection from hard disk or CD changer Sound level

- Display

Pendant camera control

Monitor selection

PACS system control

Video audio record

Live video broadcast through Web and teleconference

Watching video

E-mailing video

- Patient Information System

Patient information inquiry

Patient information input

- Phone

Dial phone

Answer phone

Hands free

- Material Management

Input of preoperative materials in the system as RFID or barcode

Input of postoperative materials in the system as RFID or barcode

- Service (encrypted)

Change device parameters

Embedded keyboard (30), medical monitor (27), DVD driver (28), USB and Ethernet connections (29), embedded printer (31), mouse (33), video/audio input/output ports (37) found in the system form the operating room / intensive care unit computer. Main board of the computer is found on the panel (3).

In surgery rooms and ICUs, using Ethernet / USB connections there is possibility about gathering information from patient monitors and other medical devices via HL7 protocol. This information can be logged if desired.

Nowadays, saving medical images of patients digitally in hospitals is quite common. In the world, the project of saving all of the medical images of patients in DICOM _ _ format through the citizenship number is supported by the Ministry of Health. In this way, all of the medical reports and radiology reports of patients would be digitally monitored when required. These images, which would be required during operation, are transferred to the monitors (27) through the touch screen or operating room computer. In this way, loss of valuable time due to requesting patient medical images from hospital archive, carrying by the patient, and monitoring through negatoscope would be prevented. In the hospitals wherein RFID/barcode patient wristbands are used, the system recognizes the patient with the help of RFID/barcode reader (26) and automatically presents the images of that patient on the monitors (27). When desired, the system can record the operating room (32) / intensive care unit (39) conditions (temperature, humidity, medical gas information, electricity information etc. vital functions found in the operating room (32) / intensive care unit (39) according to date, hour, and minutes. Similarly, in the intensive care unit (39) application, by communicating with devices used in the intensive care unit (39) all the medical data and air conditioning data (like temperature and humidity controls) can be recorded by the system according to date, hour and minutes. Also this information can be accessed by using intensive care unit (39) control panel. Patient information and operation videos with related reports can be accessed from intensive care unit (39) panel.

Nowadays, patient registration systems are found in almost all of the hospitals. All of the diagnosis, examination, and reports of the patient are kept in this system. With the combined operating room / intensive care unit device, all of the information about the patient is presented on the monitors (27) by entering patient name information via the keyboard (30) or by scanning the RFID/barcode found on the patient wristband.

In the combined operating room / intensive care unit device, operation team can make hands free phone calls with the number selected from the control panel (23). Nowadays, RFID or barcode system based resource utilization systems have started to be used for monitoring and control of thousands of medical equipments used in modern hospitals. These systems are very important for surgical scissor, bistouries etc. equipments to be used in the operating room (32). Equipment forgotten inside the patient during the operation would cause problems which would put the life of the patient in jeopardy. In cases when these type of systems are not used, before the operation, the staff counts and records the equipments to be used. They are counted again at the end of the operation and the operation is finalized after comparing the result with the data obtained at the beginning. In case of using RFID identification system, the equipments would be counted through the RFID/barcode reader (26) and will be compared with the previous information. Also thanks to recorded device data which comes from intensive care unit devices by RFID via, tracing the material used in intensive care unit (39) and maintenance time of intensive care unit devices can be provided. By this way, hospital administrators tracing and control mechanism will be faster and confident.

The image coming from the camera (25) found on the operating room (32) pendant lamp can be presented on the monitors (27) or can be shared through web or teleconference (telemedicine) when desired. The image can be sent electronically to the desired mail address. The reports can be printed out from the embedded printer (31 ).

The camera system in the intensive care units (39), record patient condition while the patient exists in that intensive care unit (39) and these records and videos can be accessed from intensive care unit (39) computer or these records and videos can be shared over web.

External video audio input to the system is possible and this enables integration of operating room microscope, arthroscopy device etc. medical devices into the system. These devices can easily be connected to the system through the video audio input/output ports (37).

Combined operating room / intensive care unit device is designed by paying regard to the laminar flow device (24), pendant lamp (36), and pendant camera (25) devices found on the market. While the combined operating room / intensive care unit device can be offered to the customer together with these equipments as a package, it can also be offered alone. Although some of the properties found in the automation system of this system are already present in some of the operating room (32) / intensive care unit (39) applications, the difference of the combined operating room / intensive care unit device is offering these properties as a factory-made package in a single body and with a standard production concept. It provides reduction in assembly cost and time, ease of service, and much less risk of malfunction.