But London Zoo officials later identified the creature as a North American Jungle Cat after aplastercast was taken from paw prints made in a forest near Port Talbot.
Often, in the case of jaw or face plates, the only way to make the mould is to take aplastercast of the outside of the patient's head, says Dr Richards.
The new gown can be adapted for many forms of surgery and post-operative care needs, including heart surgery, the insertion of a neck line or hernia repair, or accessing aplastercast on a broken arm, the hospital said.