Abstract
Purpose: :
To document the efficacy, ease of use and antimicrobial safety of sterile draping for outpatient oculoplastic surgery using aluminum foil.
Methods: :
A retrospective case series of 300 consecutive patients undergoing outpatient oculoplastic surgical procedures including ptosis repair, blepharoplasty, and correction of ectropion and entropion. In each case, a sterile field was prepped with 10% betadine applied to the periocular skin using sterile 4x4 sponges in a circular pattern, centrifugally from the surgical site. An autoclaved aluminum foil drape was utilized in order to isolate the surgical field. The appropriate surgical procedure was then carried out in the usual sterile fashion. All patients tolerated the procedure well. Records were reviewed for the primary endpoints of wound infection, comfort, drape fire, or skin burn from laser. A cost analysis was also performed comparing aluminum foil draping to standard paper drapes.
Results: :
Of the 300 cases of outpatient oculoplastic surgical procedures, there were no cases of wound infection, drape fire, or skin burn from laser. The cost per surgical procedure using this aluminum foil draping technique was significantly less than the cost of purchasing standard paper drapes.
Conclusions: :
Aluminum foil draping is an efficient, safe, cost effective, useful alternative to standard paper draping. A randomized, controlled clinical trial is needed to determine if this technique is superior to standard paper draping techniques.
Keywords: clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: systems/equipment/techniques • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: outcomes/complications