Thermal sensations of surgeons during work in surgical gowns.

Standards for surgical procedures and medical clothing, designed for use in the operating theatre, have been gradually developed with the progress in science and technology. Standard No. EN 13795:2011, determining the requirements concerning materials for production of surgical gowns, was introduced in 2003. It concerns, e.g., resistance to microbial penetration. Little attention is given to thermal comfort, even though it is well known that thermal discomfort can have an adverse effect on the quality and efficiency of work. During a real-life test and laboratory tests, 2 male surgeons and 8 male volunteers were asked to describe their subjective sensations before and after work. The results of the real-life test and the laboratory tests are comparable. They show a clear lack of thermal comfort when medical clothing designed for the operating theatre is used.