Japanese researchers develop self-donning surgical gown

Editor's Note

A research group from the Global Center for Medical Engineering and Informatics, Osaka University, has developed a self-donning and self-adjusting surgical gown called “Selfgown,” the May 16 EurekaAlert reports.

The new gown comprises a special spring along the neckline instead of strings, and the inner belt is removed by applying a three dimensional structure on the rear torso portions to overlap each other.

The notable feature of the gown is that it minimizes environmental infection from splashes when taking off gloves because the wearer can take off the gown and the gloves at the same time. With a conventional gown, the wearer typically takes off the gloves first before undoing the strings around the neck and the belt.

The gown also enables healthcare providers to gown and glove immediately, without help, during large-scale disasters, emergency areas, and disease outbreaks.

In the health care setting, there is an increasing need for a self-donning surgical gown that health care personnel can don without the need for any assistance. Also, in the context of Crisis Management for the Ebola virus and other severe infectious diseases, use of a gown that can be donned and removed quickly and safely as infection protection to prevent onwards transmission to environmental infection is more important than ever.