Evaluation of Surgical Gown Textiles for Resistance Against Aerosols: A Preclinical Double-Blind Study (original) (raw)
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Patient Safety in Surgery, 2012
Background: To prevent surgical site infection it is desirable to keep bacterial counts low in the operating room air during orthopaedic surgery, especially prosthetic surgery. As the air-borne bacteria are mainly derived from the skin flora of the personnel present in the operating room a reduction could be achieved by using a clothing system for staff made from a material fulfilling the requirements in the standard EN 13795. The aim of this study was to compare the protective capacity between three clothing systems made of different materialsone mixed cotton/ polyester and two polyesters -which all had passed the tests according to EN 13795.
Are Non-woven Gowns Safe for Dental Professionals? A Preclinical Double-Blind Study
Frontiers in Dental Medicine, 2020
With the advent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the risk of dental professional's infection increases exponentially due to aerosol-generating procedures. The protective performance of dental professional gown fabrics is a major challenge against microorganisms and aerosols. Globally, health care workers wear gowns manufactured with non-woven fabrics. However, these professionals may have a false greater sense of protection based on the greater weight of the gown's fabric. This study evaluated whether aerosol generated by dental procedures has the potential to pass through three different non-woven weights (40, 60, and 80 g/m 2). Single and folded formats of each weight were analyzed. The positions of the mannequin and the high-speed handpiece were standardized. The non-woven samples were placed over a sheet of sulfite paper and fixed on a marked position of a standardized smooth surface, 10 cm away from the end of the mannequin's head, simulating the dental professional body. For better visualization, the water used in the equipment was tinted with water-soluble red artificial dye. Blind to the nature of the groups, one researcher started the 5 uninterrupted min of aerosol production. The sheets were randomized coded, so that the samples could not be identified by the evaluator. Another researcher, blind to the tests, scanned all sheets and the images were analyzed by ImageJ software. The groups showed significant differences (p < 0.01). Except for the folded 80 g/m 2 , all groups presented pigmented mean areas ranging from 16.18% (60 g/m 2 folded) to 35.68% (40 g/m 2 single), suggesting that the one-layer non-woven samples were not effective as barriers for 5 uninterrupted min of aerosol spray. Dental procedures exceeding the studied time may provide different results with the non-woven 80 g/m 2 folded. Dental health workers, who are exposed daily to aerosol-generating procedures, should be aware of the exact specification and performance of the fabrics used in the manufacturing of their disposable garments. If the use of an impermeable surgical gown is not possible during aerosol-generating procedures, a plastic garment associated with a disposable gown should be worn, as recommended by the World Health Organization.
American Journal of Infection Control, 1997
Background: Relationships between selected fabric characteristics and the barrier effectiveness of surgical gown fabrics to liquid strike-through and bacterial transmission were examined. Methods: Eight commercially available surgical gowns were evaluated in this study. Five of the gowns were disposable and were produced from nonwoven fabrics. Three of the gowns were reusable and were produced from woven fabrics. Standard test methods were used to evaluate the fabrics. Fabric characteristics evaluated included thickness, weight, pore size, and oil and water repellency. Yarn count was determined for the woven fabrics to establish the number of yarns per inch in both the warp (lengthwise) and fill (crosswise) fabric direction. Resistance of the fabrics to the penetration of microorganism suspensions under a hydrostatic pressure was determined. Microorganisms used in this study were Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Scanning electron micrographs are presented to illustrate differences among fabrics. Results: Results of this study showed that fabric characteristics of construction, repellency, and pore size contributed to gown performance. Liquid strike-through was not always accompanied by bacterial transmission. Conclusions: Higher fabric repellency ratings and smaller pore size generally corresponded with higher barrier properties.
Materials, 2021
To function as source control, a fabric mask must be able to filter micro-droplets (≥5 µm) in expiratory secretions and still allow the wearer to breathe normally. This study investigated the effects of fabric structural properties on the filtration efficiency (FE) and air permeability (AP) of a range of textile fabrics, using a new method to measure the filtration of particles in the described conditions. The FE improved significantly when the number of layers increased. The FE of the woven fabrics was generally higher, but double-layer weft knitted fabrics, especially when combined with a third (filter) layer, provided a comparable FE without compromising on breathability. This also confirmed the potential of nonwoven fabrics as filter layers in masks. None of the physical fabric properties studied affected FE significantly more than the others. The variance in results achieved within the sample groups show that the overall performance properties of each textile fabric are a produ...
Reusable Gowns for routine use in hospital and laboratory: a necessity arising of COVID-19 Pandemic
COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has started a paradigm shift in working in a hospital or laboratory and airborne precautions have become equally significant as universal blood and body fluid precautions. Use of PPE including surgical masks or N95FFR is becoming a norm and this has led to scarcity of PPE for healthcare workers. We have prepared gowns for healthcare and laboratory workers made from a reusable material and tested with various disinfectants and heat. The cloth could tolerate repeated exposures to heat, alcohol, hypochlorite and hydrogen peroxide, but was damaged by phenol. Since this impermeable material did not allow the air to pass, we used a cool vest made up of indigenous Khadi cloth with pockets containing phase change material. The cost of whole reusable assembly of gown and cap was Indian Rupees 250 (1 USD=76 INR). This can be used in healthcare workers in hospital and community as well as people in diagnostic and research laboratories as a cost effective ...
Effectiveness of different facemask materials to combat transmission of airborne diseases
2021
Graphic abstract The pandemic COVID-19, caused by SARS-COV-2 virus has shaken the entire world with no such remedy till date. The only possible way to stop transmission of SARS-COV-2 is to take safety precautions including use of facemask. With the ever-increasing concern on the disease, it is necessary to choose facemask components to achieve the performance as good as commercially available N95 masks in a cost-effective way. This investigation compares the effectiveness of five different 3-layered masks with N95 mask in terms of pressure drop and aerosol filtration capabilities. Different combinations of cotton, polypropylene fabric, tissue and high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) were used as mask materials. In comparison to N95 mask, the result shows that the 3-layered cotton mask has much lesser pressure drop but least droplet filtration efficiency, while polypropylene-HEPA-polypropylene mask is seen as the best cost-effective alternative to N95 in terms of droplets filtratio...
Protection Provided by Clothing and Textiles Against Potential Hazards in the Operating Theatre
International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, 2008
The typical hospital and operating theatre present multiple potential hazards to both workers and patients, and protection against some of these is provided through use of various forms of clothing and textiles. While many standards exist for determining the performance of fabrics, most tests are conducted under laboratory conditions and against a single hazard. This paper provides an overview of selected developments in the principal properties of fabrics and garments for use in these workplaces, identifies the key standards, and suggests topics for further investigation.
2020
Respiratory infections may spread through droplets and aerosols released by infected individuals coughing, sneezing, or speaking. In the case of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), spread can occur from symptomatic, pre-symptomatic, and asymptomatic persons. Given the limited supply of professional face masks and respirators, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended home-made cloth face coverings for use by the general public in areas of significant community-based transmission. There is, however, little information on the effectiveness of cloth face coverings in reducing droplet dissemination. Here, we ascertained the performance of 11 household fabrics at blocking high-velocity droplets, using a commercial medical mask as a benchmark. We also assessed their breathability (air permeability), texture, fiber composition, and water absorption properties. We found that droplet blocking efficiency anti-correlates with breathability; less breathable fabr...
Reusable Fabric Masks Against COVID-19
Eskişehir Technical University Journal of Science and Technology A - Applied Sciences and Engineering, 2021
Upon the outbreak of the COVID-19, community wide mask wearing has become an important tool to prevent the spread of the virus. The use of disposable masks-that are generally produced of three or more layers of synthetic nonwovens-by the general public is being questioned from an environmental and waste perspective. Conventional textile fabrics, on the other hand, may not provide the desired level of protection against the virus. In this study three layer fabric mask structures having a middle layer of nonwoven (100 g/m 2 or 120 g/m 2) sandwiched between knitted polyester fabrics were prepared. The particle filtration and breathability properties of the fabric assemblies were investigated. In order to prevent bacterial growth and enable safer use, the outer layer was antibacterial and water repellent functionalized. The middle layer was also antibacterial treated. The air permeability of the three layer fabric structure with an antibacterial nonwoven (100 g/m 2) middle layer and an antibacterial and water repellent outer layer was ≥ 96 l/m²/s. The particle filtration efficiency was 23% when tested for 0.3 µm NaCl aerosol particles. The particle filtration efficiency was not reduced after washing up to 20 cycles.