title: Safe decontamination of hospital autopsy rooms and ventilation system by formaldehyde generation.
abstract: Space decontamination was required prior to the onset of a remodeling project in the autopsy suite of a large university-hospital complex. The National Institutes of Health procedure using formaldehyde gas as a disinfectant was modified to decontaminate not only the three autopsy rooms but also the exhaust ductwork and the three associated air incinerators. Modifications included an automated formaldehyde gas generator, a smoke test procedure for leaks, and an exhausting technique. This procedure proved to be successful and has the advantage of including the safety features necessary to conduct such a potentially hazardous decontamination in an occupied hospital.
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy; D004203:Disinfection; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008284:Maintenance and Engineering, Hospital; D014691:Ventilation
chemical_list: D005557:Formaldehyde