Surgical gowns: hard work makes them simple

We all know operating theatres have to follow certain hygiene standards and need to be efficient. We also know the surgeons and nurses need to give total concentration and focus to the job in hand. And that is where surgical gowns come in.

Their most obvious role is to create a sterile barrier between the medical staff and the patient. Every operation is different, with different requirements. That is why HARTMANN’s new and improved range of surgical Foliodress® Gowns includes two different ranges of gown, each with its own specific properties and peculiarities. It means there is always the right Foliodress® Gown for every operation, providing protection for both the medical staff and the patients.

As well as being a barrier, surgical gowns need to be comfortable. Whatever the operation, there should be as few distractions as possible and being uncomfortable is certainly distracting. That is why HARTMANN has designed the Foliodress® Gowns with the medical team very much in mind.

Foliodress® Gown Protect is the economical and reliable option, offering excellent performance at very good value.

Foliodress® Gown Comfort is the comfortable all-rounder. Its reinforced versions are equipped with HARTMANN’s unique AirActive® breathable material system on the chest and arms. There is also the option of an ultra-reinforced gown for urology operations.

The other unique feature of the Foliodress® Gown range is the tried and tested Combitape® closure system. It provides the perfect fit, because the neckline can be adjusted to suit each individual wearer with no restrictions on where it can be fastened, unlike a Velcro fastening, for example. It can even be adjusted when wearing an x-ray apron under the surgical gown. Not only is Combitape® very easy to use, it is also more comfortable. Because it creates a perfect fit around the neckline, the gown doesn’t scratch the neck or catch hair. It also sticks safely and reliably, so the wearer need not have any concerns about its strength. And there are no bulges on the back of the gown.

A central part of pre-operative preparation is maintaining sterility. Foliodress® Gowns’ improved product features make them even easier to be put on, which in turn means sterility is preserved. The importance of sterility extends to the gowns’ wrapping. For the Foliodress® Gowns, HARTMANN has switched from traditional white crepe paper to SMS (Spunbond/Meltblown/Spunbond) wrapping.

It is soft so there is no risk of paper-cuts and it is very easy to handle. It is also lint-free. This is very important because lint particles might carry pathogens into the wound, impairing the healing process and potentially causing a wound infection. Overall, the new wrapping material is an important factor in improving sterile donning.

The new Foliodress® Gowns also have color-coded necklines. For operations with slight or moderate accumulation of fluids, Foliodress® Gowns have green necklines. Red necklines are for operation with a large accumulation of fluids and the urology version of the Foliodress® Gown Comfort range has a yellow neckline. It makes it very easy to see immediately which is which and to make a quick and efficient selection, streamlining the process of preparing for surgery.

The humble surgical gown performs best when it is simple to use and the medical team hardly even notices it’s there. But it takes a lot of work to make something look simple. The team at HARTMANN has gone further for health, to make the Foliodress® Gowns both highly protective and unobtrusive to wear.