Air shield keeps bacteria out of open wounds A 3-D rendering of
the Air Barrier System area of protection. The blue shaded part
represents a 90 percent or greater reduction in airborne
contamination over an area approximately 50.8 centimeters (20
inches) long by 15.24 cm (6 inches) wide. The grey zone
represents the 80 percent or greater reduction area. Credit:
Nimbic Systems, Inc. This spring, Nimbic Systems, based near
Houston, Texas, received Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
clearance for the company's Air Barrier System, a unique medical
device for reducing surgical-incision site contamination by
infection-causing microorganisms. The Air Barrier System, or
ABS, creates a "cocoon" of highly pure air that surrounds a
surgical incision site. The cocoon isolates the incision from
ambient air to prevent the bacteria present in the operating
room from infecting the patient. During surgery, bacteria are
continuously shed by operating room personnel into the air and
can subsequently settle in and around an inci