Protective apparel having color-coding for identifying barrier protection levels and methods of making same

Abstract

A disposable surgical gown having a neck binding that includes a visual indicator to identify the barrier protection level associated with the disposable surgical gown. In particular, the disposable surgical gown has a neck binding that is color-coded for identifying the barrier protection level associated with the disposable surgical gown for protecting against penetration of body fluids and infectious materials. Also disclosed is a disposable surgical drape having a visual indicator, such as color-coding, to identify the barrier protection level associated with the disposable surgical drape. A surgical kit includes the disposable surgical gown and/or disposable surgical drape having visual indicators, such as color-coding, to identify the barrier protection level. The surgical kit may include other items to be used in a surgical setting which may also have visual indicators, such as color-coding, to identify the barrier protection level associated with the disposable surgical gown and/or disposable surgical drape.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A disposable surgical gown comprising:
 a main body including a front body portion, a back body portion, and sleeves connected to the front and back body portions; and   a visual indicator configured to identify a barrier protection level of the disposable surgical gown, the visual indicator positioned along a periphery of the main body of the disposable surgical gown to visually indicate the barrier protection level.   
     
     
         29 . The disposable surgical gown of  claim 28 , wherein the visual indicator includes at least one of a color, a pattern, a configuration, a design, text, characters, and graphics. 
     
     
         30 . The disposable surgical gown of  claim 28 , wherein the visual indicator is positioned along the neck binding of the disposable surgical gown. 
     
     
         31 . The disposable surgical gown of  claim 28 , wherein the visual indicator relates to a barrier protection level designated by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation standard AAMI PB70:2003. 
     
     
         32 . The disposable surgical gown of  claim 28 , wherein the visual indicator identifies barrier protection level 1 of AAMI PB70:2003. 
     
     
         33 . The disposable surgical gown of  claim 28 , wherein the visual indicator identifies barrier protection level 2 of AAMI PB70:2003. 
     
     
         34 . The disposable surgical gown of  claim 28 , wherein the visual indicator identifies barrier protection level 3 of AAMI PB70:2003. 
     
     
         35 . The disposable surgical gown of  claim 28 , wherein the visual indicator identifies barrier protection level 4 of AAMI PB70:2003. 
     
     
         36 . The disposable surgical gown of  claim 28 , wherein the disposable surgical gown is included in a surgical kit. 
     
     
         37 . The disposable surgical gown of  claim 36 , wherein the surgical kit comprises at least one of a hand towel, a pass card for releasably attaching to the disposable surgical gown, an insert, a surgical wrap, and a surgical drape. 
     
     
         38 . The disposable surgical gown of  claim 37 , wherein the at least one of the hand towel, the pass card, the insert, the surgical wrap and the surgical drape includes a visual indicator for identifying the barrier protection level. 
     
     
         39 . The disposable surgical gown of  claim 28 , wherein the visual indicator is visible from the front, side and back views. 
     
     
         40 . A disposable surgical gown for protecting against penetration of bodily fluids and infectious materials, the surgical gown comprising:
 a front body portion, a back body portion, and sleeves connected to the front and back body portions, the front body portion and the back body portion including respective upper body portions, and   a visual indicator for identifying a barrier protection level of the disposable surgical gown, the visual indicator being on at least a periphery of the upper body portions of the surgical gown.   
     
     
         41 . The disposable surgical gown of  claim 40 , wherein the visual indicator is visible from the front, side and back views. 
     
     
         42 . The disposable surgical gown of  claim 40 , wherein the visual indicator includes at least one of a color, a pattern, a configuration, a design, text, characters, and graphics. 
     
     
         43 . The disposable surgical gown of  claim 40 , wherein the visual indicator is positioned along a neck binding of the disposable surgical gown. 
     
     
         44 . The disposable surgical gown of  claim 40 , wherein the disposable surgical gown is included in a surgical kit, the surgical kit comprising at least one of a hand towel, a pass card for releasably attaching to the disposable surgical gown, an insert, a surgical wrap, and a surgical drape. 
     
     
         45 . The disposable surgical gown of  claim 44 , wherein one or more of the hand towel, the pass card, the insert, the surgical wrap and the surgical drape includes a visual indicator for identifying the barrier protection level. 
     
     
         46 . A method of using a disposable surgical gown having a visual indicator for identifying a barrier protection level associated with the disposable surgical gown, the method comprising:
 Providing one or more disposable surgical gowns having respective visual indicators, the visual indicators positioned along a periphery of a main body of the disposable surgical gowns;   Identifying one of the one or more disposable surgical gowns for a surgical procedure requiring an appropriate barrier protection level; and   Donning the selected disposable surgical gown having the appropriate barrier protection level.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the step of identifying includes viewing the visual indicator from front, side and back views of the disposable surgical gown.