Caps, masks, shoe covers, sterile gowns — every piece of OR attire has a specific infection-control purpose.
The operating room is a controlled environment designed to prevent harmful bacteria from reaching an open wound. Surgical teams wear specific clothing to create a sterile field, which is an area kept free from microorganisms. Your body has natural defenses against germs, but those defenses are bypassed when we make an incision. Our attire ensures that we do not introduce outside contaminants into your body during the procedure.
We wear caps to cover our hair and prevent shedding, as hair can carry skin cells and debris. Surgical masks act as a barrier for the nose and mouth to trap droplets that we exhale during normal speech or breathing. These droplets contain bacteria that could cause a serious post-operative infection if they landed near the surgical site. Masks provide a necessary filter between the team and the patient.
The surgical gown serves as a reinforced barrier between our non-sterile street clothes and your body. These gowns are made from specialized, fluid-resistant materials that prevent blood or other bodily fluids from soaking through. We also use sterile gloves to ensure that our hands do not touch any surface that could transfer microbes into the wound. Every layer is handled with strict protocols to maintain total cleanliness.
You may see us wearing shoe covers to prevent dirt and bacteria from the hospital hallways from entering the surgical suite. Floors in the operating room are cleaned to medical standards, and shoe covers keep those floors as pristine as possible. While these might look simple, they are part of a larger effort to keep the entire room environment regulated. We keep traffic in and out of the OR minimal for this exact reason.