The importance of gown and drape barriers in the prevention of wound infection.

The gown and drape barrier system has been shown to be an important factor in the prevention of wound infection. Performance differences between disposable and reusable materials as influencing wound infections were demonstrated. A disposable spun-bonded olefin gown and drape system significantly reduced the postoperative wound infection rate. No therapeutic benefit in the preoperative antibiotic group or localwound irrigation group. Factors indicating populations at higher risks for wound infection include age, sex and those requiring long and an emergency type operations. Special attention should be given to the infection prone groups. Unless factors, such as percentage of types of operation, emergency nature, age and sex, are weighed, a comparison of wound infections between hospitals is invalid.