Cosmetic surgeon Jason Miller, M.D., focuses on liposuction and liposculpture at his Durham, NC, practice. He says that etching a six-pack into male patient abs or contouring women’s thighs is a workout. Each liposculpture and liposuction procedure might translate to two constant hours of physical activity, he says, and that means he sweats and overheats.
The cosmetic surgeon says his solution was always to turn down the AC to extremely cool temps — to the point where he’d have to use a patient warmer on the top of the operating table to keep patients from freezing. Anyone in the room would wear coats and sweaters under their gowns to keep warm, he says.
His then-chilly surgical tech saw an ad for the Aero Blue Performance Surgical Gown, which allegedly keeps surgeons cool without sacrificing safety. She ordered Dr. Miller a sample.
“As soon as I tried it, I had to turn the air conditioner off, because I was nice and cool,” Dr. Miller says.
He has been wearing the gowns to do liposuction and liposculpting ever since.
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Dr. Miller, who is not affiliated with Halyard Health, the company that makes the gowns, says they cost slightly more than his previous gowns, but they’re worth it.
While he’ll still occasionally turn the AC on, the temperatures remain more normal for staff and patients, he says. Not only does the gown help control his body temperature during surgery, but its lighter material also gives him more range of motion, according to Dr. Miller.
“I just feel more comfortable [wearing this gown]. For the surgeon to be comfortable is much better for the patient because the surgeon will be able to focus, concentrate and get better results,” he says.
That’s not to mention the potential for lower energy bills.
According to the company website, Halyardhealth.com, the Aero Blue Performance Surgical Gown features a fabric technology called Cool Shield Core, which lets moisture vapor pass through without fluid penetration, while meeting Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) level 3 requirements for safety.
