Contributo para a melhoria do impacto ambiental e financeiro dos hospitais

: os têxteis do bloco operatório, bata cirúrgica reforçada

Abstract

This study was done in the context of the project “Retexmed - development of reusable textiles to decrease hospitalar infections”. The project was supported by Crespim e Abreu Lda. in association with CITEVE - Tecnologia Têxtil and Universidade Católica Portuguesa. The project aims to promote the development of reusable textiles with high preventive poten-tial in decreasing hospitalar infections, in health care. Our research consisted of the comparative study between disposable surgical gowns (commonly used) and reusable surgical gowns (the ones studied), focusing on their character-ization and definition of management and cost circuits. The final aim was to estimate the number of reuses that the gown can be submitted to in order to be represent a sustainable and profitable alternative to the disposable surgical gowns currently used. These gowns are rein-forced ones of the brand “Sterisafe®” and are produced by the company Fapomed, SA. Different scenarios made it possible to study the surgical gown economical viability. Alt-hough the initial cost of the reusable gown is higher, the consecutive usages will gradually decrease the difference. This fact is supported in most of the cases studied, but even in the worst scenario, a reuse of the surgical gown over 27 consecutive times already makes them advantageous. The most significant factors that contributed to have a profitable alternative in different contexts were: the washing price, the sterilization price and its production price.

Date of Award	2015
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	João Queiroz e Melo (Supervisor) & Susana Xará (Supervisor)