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. 2015 Sep;10(3):180-190.

A Review of Isolation Gowns in Healthcare: Fabric and Gown Properties

F Selcen Kilinc  1
Affiliations

A Review of Isolation Gowns in Healthcare: Fabric and Gown Properties

F Selcen Kilinc. J Eng Fiber Fabr. 2015 Sep.

Abstract

The threat of emerging infectious diseases including Ebola hemorrhagic fever, pandemic influenza, avian influenza, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and SARS has highlighted the need for effective personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect healthcare workers (HCWs), patients, and visitors. PPE is a critical component in the hierarchy of controls used to protect HCWs from infectious hazards. HCW PPE may include gowns, respirators, face masks, gloves, eye protection, face shields, and head and shoe coverings. Important research has been conducted in certain areas, such as respirators and protective masks, but studies in other areas, particularly gowns, are scarce. Gowns are identified as the second-most-used piece of PPE, following gloves, in the healthcare setting. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Guideline for Isolation Precautions, isolation gowns should be worn to protect HCWs' arms and exposed body areas during procedures and patient-care activities when anticipating contact with clothing, blood, bodily fluids, secretions and excretions. Isolation gowns currently available on the marketplace offer varying resistance to blood and other bodily fluids depending on the type of the material, its impermeability, and wear and tear. While some studies show no benefit of the routine use of isolation gowns, others demonstrate that its use is associated with a reduced infection rate. This paper reviews isolation gowns in healthcare settings, including the fabrics used, gown design and interfaces, as well as critical parameters that affect microorganism and liquid transmission through fabrics.

Keywords: blood borne pathogen; healthcare; isolation gown; liquid transmission; protective clothing.

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Conflict of interest statement

Potential conflicts of interest: All authors report no conflicts of interest relevant to this article.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Different wrist designs for isolation gowns (elastic cuff, knit cuff, and thumb loops from left to the right) (courtesy of Medline Industries, Inc.)
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Different neck closures for isolation gowns (hook and loop and tape tab neck closures from left to the right) (courtesy of Medline Industries, Inc.)
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Isolation gown with an abdominal tie (courtesy of ©Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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