Surgical gowns: all you need to know

What are the main features of surgical gowns? Which are the international standards they need to be compliant with in order to enter the market and ensure the utmost safety? Dispotech will address all of your doubts on this page. 

Surgical gowns are paramount in the healthcare industry. This is not just a device which protects professionals during surgery, but it is also crucial to prevent viruses and cross-contamination even patient-wise. 

On this page, we will learn about:

• What are surgical gowns?
• Surgical gowns main features
• Which standards must surgical gowns be compliant with?
  • Usage and disposal
• Dispotech PERFECTO surgical gowns
  
  

What are surgical gowns?

Surgical gowns are manufactured to shield professionals who work on a daily basis in the medical field. But this is not it. 

These gowns have a high level of protection towards highly infectious and contaminated contexts, being water-repellent, and thus reducing liquid-transfer in fluids’ exposed environments. 

Surgical gowns are sterile, and they have been carefully designed to meet the stringent requirements of the healthcare industry. They also enable the operating room professionals to successfully perform surgery whilst ensuring doctors’ comfort at all times. This feature is key, especially during long interventions which require a high degree of accuracy and dexterity.

Medical gowns guarantee the patients’ safety, as well, as it acts like a barrier against all sorts of external bacteria or contaminants that can compromise surgical interventions. 

Due to their crucial role, disposable surgical gowns are transversal and can serve a multitude of medical scenarios. In fact, they can be easily integrated in public hospitals as well as in private clinics. 

Surgical gowns main features 

Surgical gowns as medical products need to be manufactured so that they can fulfil the basic standards stipulated on an international level. From this point of view, different product qualities rank surgical gowns into: 

• High performance when they are used in high-risk context to effectively prevent infections and liquid-contamination
• Standard performance for lower-risk surgical scenarios
  
  

Morevover, there are other relevant characteristics to take into account when it comes to choosing surgical devices such as gowns. These are:

• Barrier effect: gowns act like shields to avoid the contamination stemming from pathogens and bodily fluids. For this reason, they should also be water-repellant. 
• Fitting: this is a crucial feature as surgeons should be able to wear them during long procedures. Surgical gowns should be breathable, reduce the heat and put doctors in the position to move freely and without constraints. 
• Sterility: surgical gowns are usually treated in order to keep their impermeability even in the most high-risk contexts. 
• Durability: they should be manufactured with a material which is able to withstand tearing.
• Sleeve design: surgical gown sleeves should cover wrists and should not be of any impediment to the professionals involved in the procedure. 
• Closure System: they should stay securely closed throughout the whole operation. To stay in place, closures are usually located at the back or at the side. 
• Materials: the choice of the material used to manufacture surgical gowns can directly affect its comfort, breathability, and protection properties.
  
  

Which standards must surgical gowns be compliant with?

Surgical gowns are key in maintaining the environment sterile during medical procedures and should always guarantee the utmost safety and effectiveness. For this reason, they need to be compliant with stringent standards and regulations, such as: 

• EN 13795: this is a European standard that sets the criteria for surgical curtains, gowns, and clean air suits used in the medical field.
• AAMI Levels (1-4): every gown falls under a certain category which defines its liquid-resistance. As the number increases, so does the gown’s protectiveness. 
• CE Marking: this is a mark which certifies that the surgical gown in question meets the EU strict standards in terms of safety, health, and environmental protection. 
  
  

Usage and disposal

It’s useful to pinpoint the correct usage of surgical gowns in order to wear them and dispose of them properly. These steps are critical to prevent contamination and maintain the hospital or clinic safe. 

1. Wash your hands thoroughlyand enter a sterile area. Then, unfold the gown avoiding any contact with its outer surface. The surgical gown should be worn before putting on face masks, face shields and gloves. 
2. To remove it correctly, begin with gloves, masks, and eye protection. Then, untie the surgical gown and take it off gently, turning it inside out. 
3. For a safe disposal, throw the gown into the designated biohazard containers. 
   
   

Dispotech PERFECTO surgical gowns

At Dispotech, we are committed to manufacturing surgical gowns which entail quality, comfort and polyvalence. 

Our PERFECTO has been designed both for professionals and patients that find themselves in environments with a high and low contamination risk. 

Dispotech disposable surgical gowns are manufactured in SMS, a material that ensures:

• Breathability so that the surgeon is always comfortable 
• Ergonomics in order to ensure the ease of movement during the procedure 
• Water-repellent with a high level of fluids protection and low particle release rates

Do you want to know more about our surgical gown PERFECTO?