Methods for determining the barrier efficacy of surgical gowns

Surgical gowns are worn in the operating room to reduce the incidence of nosocomial wound infections in patients and to prevent the exposure of medical personnel to pathogens in blood and other body fluids from the patient. New test methods have been developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials to identify gowns that provide barriers against liquid and microbes.

This article evaluates the liquid and microbial barrier properties of 13 reusable and disposable gowns and investigates the cumulative effects of laundering and sterilizing on the barrier efficacy of reusable gowns by means of the Impact Penetration (splash) Test, the Synthetic Blood Resistance Test, the Viral Resistance Test, and the Elbow Lean (demonstration) Test.

Single-layer regular gowns and double-layer fabric reinforced gowns offer different degrees of liquid resistance; that is, they show some resistance to splashes and pooling of liquids on the surface. Gowns reinforced with films, membranes, and coatings are generally liquid-proof, meaning that they resist visible penetration of synthetic blood under pressure. Some of these gowns are also resistant to viral penetration.

Hospitals should provide liquid-proof gowns that also offer microbial resistance to their medical personnel for use in high-risk situations in which optimum safety is required. Other gowns may be used when the risk of exposure to body fluids is low. Hospital personnel should determine the type of gown that should be worn in different operating room situations. Any incidents of penetration would indicate that a higher level of protection is required.