The Cardinal Health SmartGown™ has been proven the only breathable, fully impervious surgical gown to pass the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) Level 4 requirements, the company announces.

In recent independent tests conducted by Nelson Laboratories in accordance with American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/AAMI Standard PB70:2003, results confirmed that other breathable surgical gowns that claim to be fully impervious provide only AAMI level 3 protection. Only the Cardinal Health SmartGown™ passed AAMI Level 4 requirements in both gown fabric and construction in all four critical zones.

The Cardinal Health SmartGown™ features:

• Full protection with advanced wicking technology to keep clinicians cool and comfortable.
• RESPONSIVEMEMBRANE™ that wicks excess moisture from the surface of the skin, transporting it to the surface of the fabric, where it evaporates quickly, allowing the body to cool naturally while maintaining complete protection.
• A fully-impervious barrier to guard against the risk of liquid and viral penetration. Active Moisture Management™ that keeps clinicians cool and comfortable through the most challenging procedures.

This AAMI Standard establishes a classification system and associated minimal requirements for protective apparel based on resistance to strike through of blood and fluids. The standards address four levels of barrier protection – ranging from Level 1, which is the lowest level of protection, to Level 4, which is the highest level. Gowns with a Level 1 classification offer minimal protection with no significant moisture or liquid barrier protection, while gowns with a Level 4 classification are considered fully impervious and provide an absolute barrier to liquids as defined in ASTM F1671. The classification of the entire surgical gown is based on the lowest level of protection within any of its critical zones.

According to AAMI PB70:2003 testing requirements, gowns must meet requirements in four critical zones, including body fabric, sleeve fabric, body construction and sleeve construction, to attain a Level 4 classification. Critical zones are those where direct contact with blood, body fluids and other potentially infectious material are most likely to occur.