Surgical dressings includes all materials which are used alone or in combination to cover the wound.
The purpose of application of the dressing is to protect the wound and favour its proper healing. A material which holds the dressing in desired position is known as bandage. To prepare surgical dressings, fibres are used.
Functions of dressings:
- To prevent or reduce infections
- To offer protection to healing wound
- To offer mechanical support to the tissues
Requirements:
- They have to be sterilised before using
- They should be stored in dry well ventilated place at a temperature below 25 degrees
- They should be used with permitted antiseptics in prescribed concentrations only
- They should not be dyed
- Adhesive products should not be freezed
- Loose threads and fibre endings should not be there in dressings
Classification:
(A) Fibres
(a) Non-medicated fibres – Absorbent cotton, wool, rayon, silk
(b) Medicated fibres – Boric acid wool, capsicum wool
(B) Fabric
Fabric are woven materials and they may be medicated or non-medicated – Absorbent lint, Absorbent ribbon gauze, Boric acid lint, Absorbent gauze, X-ray detectable
(C) Bandages
Bandages are the products which retain dressings in place and provide support for applying medication to skin. They are water proof. Bandages may be elastic or non-elastic, adhesive or non-adhesive.
(a) Non-medicated bandages – Crepe bandage, Domette bandage, Calico bandage, Cotton and rubber elastic bandage
(b) Medicated bandages - Plaster of Paris bandage, Zinc paste bandage, Zinc paste Ichthamol bandage
(D) Rubber and Oil Impregnated Materials
Belladonna self adhesive plaster, Zinc oxide self adhesive plaster
According to British Pharmacopoeia, surgical dressings are of following types:
- Fibres and related materials – Viscose, animal, wood cellulose wadding
- Carded products - Absorbent cotton, viscose wadding
- Non-extensible, non-adhesive woven products - Absorbent muslin, Domette bandage
- Non-extensible, adhesive woven products – Belladonna adhesive plaster, Zinc oxide surgical adhesive tape
- Extensible non-adhesive woven products – Cotton bandage, elastic web bandage
- Extensible adhesive woven products - Elastic adhesive bandage, extension plaster
- Non-woven products – Impermeable plastic surgical adhesive tape, permeable plastic surgical adhesive tape
Surgical dressings are broadly classified as
- Woven dressings
- Non-woven dressings
