User experience of wearing comfort of reusable versus disposable surgical gowns and environmental perspectives: A cross-sectional survey

Objective: To determine the user experience of wearing comfort of reusable sterile surgical gowns and compare these gowns with conventional disposable surgical gowns. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: An academic hospital in the Netherlands. Population: Gynaecologists, surgeons, residents and operating room assistants (n=80). Methods:...

Effect of unidirectional airflow ventilation on surgical site infection in cardiac surgery: environmental impact as a factor in the choice for turbulent mixed air flow

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) in the form of postoperative deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) after cardiac surgery is a rare, but potentially fatal, complication. In addressing this, the focus is on preventive measures, as most risk factors for SSI are not controllable. Therefore, operating rooms are equipped with heating,...

A New Method to Improve the Environmental Sustainability of the Operating Room: Healthcare Sustainability Mode and Effect Analysis (HSMEA)

Highlights: What are the main findings? Using the HSMEA, it is possible to systematically reduce operating room waste. The HSMEA identifies carbon hotspots of surgical waste based on waste stream analysis. Solutions for improvement are found by applying the six Rs of waste management. What is the implication of the main finding? A...

Reducing the Environmental Impact of Sterilization Packaging for Surgical Instruments in the Operating Room: A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Disposable versus Reusable Systems

The widespread use of single-use polypropylene packaging for sterilization of surgical instruments (blue wrap) results in enormous environmental pollution and plastic waste, estimated at 115 million kilograms on a yearly basis in the United States alone. Rigid sterilization containers (RSCs) are a well-known alternative in terms of quality...