A systematic review of surgical drapes and surgical gowns

Use sterile surgical hole towels during the operation to prevent contact with the surface of the operating table and maintain the sterility of the environmental surface, equipment, and the surrounding environment of the patient. Similarly, during the operation, sterile surgical gowns should also be worn on the team of doctors to maintain the sterility of the surgical area and reduce the risk of pathogens spreading to patients and staff.

Surgical gowns and surgical hole towels are made of multiple or single-use materials. In the two categories, the design and performance characteristics of each category are quite different, which reflects the necessary trade-offs in economy, comfort, and the degree of protection required for special operations.

During the operation, if the drape material becomes wet, the risk of pathogen transmission increases. Therefore, multi-purpose or single-purpose surgical hole towels and surgical gown materials used in surgical operations should be able to prevent liquid penetration. Reusable materials usually consist of different densely woven fabrics and/or knitted cotton, or other fabrics that may be mixed with polyester and/or chemical treatments. These products must be durable. Disposable surgical hole towels and surgical gowns are usually made of non-woven fabrics made of synthetic materials and/or natural materials, and may have been chemically treated.

After the preparation of the surgical site is completed, use a medical non-woven surgical hole towel, an ordinary hole towel or a hole towel impregnated with an antibacterial agent (mainly iodophor) on the patient's skin. This film is attached to the skin, and the surgeon cuts the skin and then covers it. Theoretically, it is considered a mechanical and/or microbial barrier to prevent microbes from migrating from the skin to the surgical site.

The “SHEA/IDSA Guidelines” issued in 2014 recommended that composite drapes without antibacterial properties should not be used as a routine strategy for the prevention of SSI 8. At the same time, the British National Health Association The Institute of Health Care (NICE) issued a guideline in 2008, recommending that if a composite hole towel cloth is required, an iodophor impregnated cloth should be used.