Direct measurement of bacterial penetration through surgical gowns: a new method.

There is a paucity of data on the penetration of bacteria through surgical gowns during operations. A simple new method was developed, using Petri dishes filled with horse blood agar that were attached to the outside of the gown material. This was used to assess bacterial penetration through disposable spun-bonded polyester gowns and re-usable woven polyester gowns during normal use. There was a significant difference between the two gown types when tested in the axilla (P = 0.02), the groin (P = 0.02) and the peri-anal region (P < 0.01), with the disposable gowns performing to a higher standard. Re-usable gowns demonstrated variation in penetrability, and for this reason, may be unsuitable for use in orthopaedic implant surgery.

[1]  D. Vesley,et al.  Bacterial dispersion in relation to operating room clothing , 1976, Journal of Hygiene.

[2]  J. L. Rice,et al.  Infection in experimental hip arthroplasties. , 1985, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. British volume.

[3]  J. Moylan,et al.  Reducing wound infections. Improved gown and drape barrier performance. , 1987, Archives of surgery.

[4]  R. Blowers,et al.  Bacteria isolated from deep joint sepsis after operation for total hip or knee replacement and the sources of the infections with Staphylococcus aureus. , 1983, Journal of Hospital Infection.

[5]  A. Blom,et al.  The passage of bacteria through surgical drapes. , 2000, Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

[6]  W. Noble,et al.  Dispersal of bacteria on desquamated skin. , 1962, Lancet.

[7]  J. Shuster,et al.  The influence of skeletal implants on incidence of infection. Experiments in a canine model. , 1985, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume.

[8]  O M Lidwell,et al.  Airborne contamination of wounds in joint replacement operations: the relationship to sepsis rates. , 1983, The Journal of hospital infection.

[9]  W. Harris,et al.  Deep-wound infection after total hip replacement under contemporary aseptic conditions. , 1988, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume.

[10]  E. A. Mccullough,et al.  Methods for determining the barrier efficacy of surgical gowns. , 1993, American journal of infection control.

[11]  W. Beck,et al.  False faith in the surgeon's gown and surgical drape. , 1952, American journal of surgery.

[12]  Schwartz Jt,et al.  Microbial penetration of surgical gown materials. , 1980 .

[13]  A. Hambraeus,et al.  Skin sampling-validation of a pad method and comparison with commonly used methods. , 1990, The Journal of hospital infection.

[14]  J. Charnley,et al.  Postoperative infection in total prosthetic replacement arthroplasty of the hip‐joint with special reference to the bacterial content of the air of the operating room , 1969, The British journal of surgery.

[15]  W. Whyte,et al.  A bacteriologically occlusive clothing system for use in the operating room. , 1983, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. British volume.

[16]  G Blomgren,et al.  Reduction of contamination at total hip replacement by special working clothes. , 1990, The Journal of bone and joint surgery. British volume.

[17]  J. Charnley,et al.  Penetration of gown material by organisms from the surgeon's body. , 1969, Lancet.

[18]  R. Blowers,et al.  Effect of clothing on dispersal of Staphylococcus aureus by males and females. , 1974, Lancet.

[19]  P. Dineen.  The role of impervious drapes and gowns preventing surgical infection. , 1973, Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research.

[20]  W Whyte,et al.  The role of clothing and drapes in the operating room. , 1988, The Journal of hospital infection.

[21]  D. Liu,et al.  Strike-through of moist contamination by woven and nonwoven surgical materials. , 1975, Annals of surgery.

[22]  O M Lidwell,et al.  Effect of ultraclean air in operating rooms on deep sepsis in the joint after total hip or knee replacement: a randomised study. , 1982, British medical journal.

[23]  J. Tinkler,et al.  The isolation of bacteria of low pathogenicity from faulty orthopaedic implants. , 1981, The Journal of hospital infection.

[24]  D. Maki.  Lister Revisited: Surgical Antisepsis and Asepsis , 1976 .

[25]  W. Whyte,et al.  The reduction of bacteria in the operation room through the use of non‐woven clothing , 1978, The British journal of surgery.

[26]  Å. Carlsson,et al.  Air contamination during total hip arthroplasty in an ultraclean air enclosure using different types of staff clothing. , 1990, The Journal of arthroplasty.

[27]  J. Moylan,et al.  Intraoperative bacterial transmission. , 1975, Surgical forum.

[28]  D. Hamblen,et al.  An investigation of occlusive polyester surgical clothing. , 1990, The Journal of hospital infection.

[29]  J. Tinkler,et al.  The importance of airborne bacterial contamination of wounds. , 1982, The Journal of hospital infection.