What is a Hybrid Operating Room?

“A hybrid operating room (OR) is a surgical theater that is equipped with advanced imaging facilities such as fixed C‑arms, computed tomography (CT) scanner, or magnetic resonance imaging scanner.”[1] Hybrid Operating Rooms allow the clinicians to make the diagnosis and the treatment at the same time. “Hybrid ORs offer many benefits to patients, clinicians, and health care organizations. In particular, state-of-the-art hybrid ORs facilitate provision of a broad range of procedures that are less invasive than traditional surgery and offer faster recovery times for patients. For example, complex cardiovascular and endovascular conditions that formerly required open heart surgery are now being diagnosed and treated with less invasive surgery in hybrid ORs”. [2] A multidisciplinary approach is required in the design of hybrid operating rooms. At this stage, the contribution of not only engineers and architects, but also surgeons, anesthesia and radiology technicians, device manufacturers should be provided.

The most important feature that separates hybrid operating rooms from standard operating rooms is the imaging systems inside the operating room. The existence of these devices requires hybrid operating rooms to be larger than normal operating rooms.

A multidisciplinary approach is required in the design of hybrid operating rooms. At this stage, the contribution of not only engineers and architects, but also surgeons, anesthesia and radiology technicians, device manufacturers should be provided.

The most important feature that separates hybrid operating rooms from standard operating rooms is the imaging systems inside the operating room. The existence of these devices requires hybrid operating rooms to be larger than normal operating rooms. Along with the excess of equipment in the operating room, the number of the team that will work in the operating room is also high. Therefore, “a hybrid suite should be large enough (at least 70 m2) to accommodate at least 8–20 people.”[3] It is an important reason for preference when hybrid operating rooms are built as modular operating rooms, especially since they provide opportunities for renewal or expansion in the future. The compact and flexible solutions of modular ORs suit hybrid OR requirements.