Atividade

To minimize the risk of germ transfer in surgical operating theatres, sterile draping of patients, their surroundings and the wearing of sterile clothing are all essential safety measures, irrespective of the nature of the operation. Given their vital role in infection protection, draping materials and operating theatre clothing are legally regarded as medical products with their production and quality testing subject to European Standard EN 13795.

Reducing the risk of wound infections with disposable surgical clothing

Different operations have different risks of infection. Long, complex operations involving high levels of blood and irrigating fluids, carry the highest risk while risk is lower, but still present, in shorter operations where large amounts of body fluids are not expected. Even with careful observance of hygiene standards, and execution of the usual antibiotic prophylaxis, there is infection at the surgical site in approx. 1-5 % of elective surgical procedures. For the patients affected, this means an extension of their pain and functional restrictions – even if there are no more serious consequences.

Single use vs. Reusable Materials

The material used in surgical drapes and sterile clothing also raises issues of health economics. Draping materials and operating theatre clothing made of nonwoven fabric are often preferred to reusable textile systems due to the material safety and the associated high level of protection against infection. Although these are the most important reasons, another benefit is that single-use materials remove the need for sophisticated reprocessing of reusable textile systems, which is a cost-intensive undertaking.