title: Transmural surgical gown pressure measurements in the operating theater.
abstract: Transmural gown pressures encountered when the surgeon comes into contact with a patient were measured in the operating theater. The surgical gown industry has assumed these pressures to be less than 5 psi in testing the efficacy of the gown and drape barrier material to impede bacterial transmission through its pores. In this study, pressure-sensitive contact film and resistive strain gauge recordings made from the surgeon's abdominal region and forearms indicated peak contact pressures in excess of 60 psi. This report indicates a need to reassess the basis of test utilization in evaluating barrier materials used in gowns and drapes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC.
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Altman
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: McElhaney
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Moylan
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009873:Operating Rooms; D011312:Pressure; D011481:Protective Clothing; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology