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Are We Really Protected From Our Patients' Pathogens?

Jeffrey W. Smith, MS, MPH; Ronald Lee Nichols, MS, MD

Arch Surg. 1991;126(6):756-763.

Abstract
• Surgical gowns are traditionally worn to protect patients from contamination by the surgical team. Blood routinely covers gowns during surgery and often contaminates surgeons' undergarments and skin. Because of risks to the surgical team by blood-borne pathogens, disposable and reusable gowns were examined. To quantify "strike through," 1440 samples of gown fabric were tested against human blood in an apparatus designed to simulate abdominal pressure during surgery. Representative pressures (0.25 to 2.0 psi) and times (1 second to 5 minutes) were studied. Above 0.5 psi, spun-bond/melt-blown/spun-bond disposable products were more resistant than spun-lace cloth. New cloth gowns were better than those washed 40 times. Spunbond/melt-blown/spun-bond fabric exposed to blood twice was more protective than spun-lace cloth challenged once. Gowns currently available exhibit varying resistance to strike through; only those with an impervious plastic reinforcement offer complete protection.

(Arch Surg. 1991;126:756-763)

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Surgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, La.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication November 23, 1990.

Presented in part at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Public Hearings on Occupational Exposure to Blood-borne Pathogens, San Francisco, Calif, January 17, 1990; and at the 30th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Atlanta, Ga, October 23, 1990.

Reprint requests to Department of Surgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112-2669 (Dr Nichols).

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