Dear Sir,

hi!, I wanted to know why green linen is used for hospitals as well as CSSD for preparations of OT linens? and what are the parameters about linen that suits to hospital? and what type of dyes are used in green linen? is it green vegetables dye? as i knows may be i wrong please guide

thanks

shreepalsinh waghela

CSSD, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.

To answer your first question: For many years, operating room linen was white, probably because it symbolized cleanliness. Unfortunately, under the bright lights of the operating room, white is not easy on the eyes. Green is known as a relaxing colour. ANSI/AAMI ST65:2000 -- Processing of reusable surgical textiles for use in health care facilities will guide you through selection and processing of surgical textiles.

Yaffa Raz
CSSD Manager
Lady Davis Carmel Hospital
Haifa, Israel

See also the final draft of the European Standard: prEN 13795-1 "Surgical drapes gowns..." which is now in the process of being sent out for formal voting.
See www.pfeiffertextile.com/images/news/29_file.doc for relevant documentation.

Kind regards
Josy Holdener

Dear sir,

1. in Belgium two colours are used for OT linen: blue and green. The reason these colours are advised has something to do with the formation of afterimages in cyanogen, a composition of blue and green. When these afterimages are projected on a background of their own colour (blue<>green), the surgeon don't feel any inconvenience when these colours (blue or green) are used as a background meaning drapes, gowns, etc.
2. the requirements for surgical drapes, gowns and clean air suits are described in the European Standard EN 13795-1 (no draft anymore). Part 2 will treat the different test methods. Part 3 will treat the performance requirements and performance levels. Part 2 and part 3 are still prEN. Initially the standard exists out of 5 parts. The former parts 3 (Test method for dry bacterial penetration) and 4 (Test method for wet bacterial penetration), will be published as EN ISO 22610 (Clothing for protection against infectious agents - Test method for determination of penetration by bacteria through protective clothing materials) and EN ISO 22612 (Clothing for protection against infectious agents - Test method for resitance to penetration by biologically contaminant dust through protective clothing materials).
3. For a good colour fixation of the dye, synthetic dyes are used with much better results than natural dyes.

Regards,

Bob Synave
QA/QC Manager
STERIMA - Belgium

Dear,

More information - content of the standard, general requirements, test methods - on the European guideline EN 13975, Bob is referring to, you can find on the website of our industrial partner MÖLNLYCKE under:
www.klinidrape.com/index.asp?id=979

Regards,
Wim Renders.