Surgical drapes are critical in ensuring that there is a sterile field during the medical procedure. These serve as a shield against the potential contamination sources and therefore minimize the chances of infection among the patients and health practitioners.
Broadly, hospitals have two options in terms of surgical drapes: disposable and reusable surgical drapes. Although they both aim at aiding the process of infection control, they have many differences in terms of material, handling, and cost, and performance.
The question of which option is more protective against infection is one of the most crucial questions that hospitals are to answer.
The response to this is determined by a number of factors such as the nature of the procedure, the sterilization measures in the hospital and the quality of the drapes under use. Nevertheless, regarding the issue of infection control, disposable drapes are usually regarded as the less risky choice.
What Are Disposable Surgical Drapes?
Single-use products that are used as disposable surgical drapes include polypropylene or multilayer synthetic fabrics, made of nonwoven cloth.
They are meant to be employed one time and disposed of after the process.
These clothes are usually provided in sterile wrappings and ready to use.
Since they are produced on a single-use basis, disposable drapes offer a clean and new covering on each procedure.
What are Reusable Surgical Drapes?
Reusable surgical drapes are woven in nature (typically cotton or polyester blends). They are used again after every procedure, washed, sterilized and reused.
Reusable drapes in the hospitals should be accompanied by a good laundering and sterilization system.
Despite being applicable in the reuse of the drapes, the reusability of the drapes is limited to the extent that the drapes are cleaned, handled, and maintained.
Barrier Protection and Fluid Resistance.
The capability of the drape to keep off the flow of fluids and microorganisms is one of the most critical aspects of infection control.
Disposable drapes usually have better protection of barrier protection as they are specially made with fluid-resistant layers.
A variety of disposable drapes consists of:
- Strengthened regions in fluidic regions.
- Fluid-impermeable backing
- Better blood and body fluid resistance.
Reusable drapes can also lose part of their barriers with the course of time because of washing and sterilization. The fabric lengthens and with age, slight alterations in the material may occur so that fluids and microorganisms find it easy to pass through.
Disposable drapes tend to offer more effective protection in cases of procedures that require a lot of fluid.
Risk of Cross-Contamination
One of the issues in the operating rooms is cross-contamination.
Disposable drapes help to minimize this risk since they are put into usage only to be discarded right after surgery. Cleaning, transportation and storage is not required between uses.
Reusable drapes on the other hand undergo several processes following every procedure and these are:
- Collection
- Transportation
- Washing
- Sterilization
- Storage
The one stage builds another chance of contamination in case strict procedures are not observed.
Unless the reusable drapes are washed and sterilized properly, they might transmit microorganisms between patients. That is why infectious teams tend to consider disposable drapes a more secure option, particularly in high-risk environments.
Consistency of Performance
Disposable drapes are consistent in their performance since all drapes are new.The level of barrier protection and quality can be expected to be the same in every procedure of hospitals.
Reusable drapes can be different in terms of performance based on the number of times it has been used. The repetitive washing, folding and handling may also wear the fabric down .Although the damage may not be observable, the shielding effect of the drape may reduce with time.
Reusable drapes used in hospitals should be inspected by hospitals in relation to:
- Tears
- Worn areas
- Weakness of the fluid resistance.
- Seam destruction or folds.
Damaged drapes can be used without the knowledge of the user unless they are checked frequently.
Cost vs Safety
Reusable drapes can be said to be more economical as they can be reused several times. In the long run, hospitals can pay less to buy new drapes.
But there are also reusable drapes that are associated with the hidden costs like:
- Laundry services
- Sterilization equipment
- Staff time
- Inspection and maintenance
Disposable drapes might be more expensive to use, but they remove these extra procedures.
In the face of infection prevention as the foremost concern, most hospitals find the additional expense of disposable drapes to be worthwhile.
This is specially the case with:
- Major surgeries
- High-fluid procedures
- Immunocompromised patients Procedures with immunocompromised patients.
- Surgery of emergencies and trauma.
- Environmental Considerations
The benefit of reusable drapes includes the fact that they do not produce a lot of waste.
Disposable drapes are also sources of increased volumes of medical waste that may be a concern to the hospitals that are interested in sustainability. Reusable drapes however need water, electricity, chemicals and transportation to do the laundering and sterilization. This means that the environmental factor is more intricate than it might seem.
Several hospitals have adopted a balance between safety and sustainability by applying disposable drapes in cases with high-risk and reusable drapes in cases with lower risk.
Final Thoughts
Disposable and reusable surgical drapes can be utilized in terms of infection control provided that they are used properly. Nonetheless, disposable drapes tend to be superior and more reliable in protection since they have a greater fluid resistance capability and exclude the threat of contamination that might occur as a result of repeated handling and sterilization.
Disposable drapes are frequently recommended in hospitals that are concerned with the reduction of surgical site infections and the ultimate safety of the procedure, particularly the high-risk or complicated operations.
The choice of the appropriate drape must always be based upon the nature of the surgery, amount of fluid exposures and the hospital infection controls.
At Amaryllis Healthcare, we know that reliable infection-control solutions in the surgical setting are of great importance. We would like to help hospitals to provide safer care to the patients, through the high-quality disposable surgical drapes produced with strong barrier protection and reliable performance.
See how our gowns, drapes and packs meet the standards discussed here - or request the full catalog.