Draping

DRAPING
Draping is the covering of the patient and areas surrounding him with sterile linen, leaving only a minimum area of
skin exposed at the site of operations

TYPES OF DRAPES:

1. Towels
They must be used to outline the operation site. The folded edge of each towel is placed on the line of incision.

2. Laparotomy Sheet:
Often called a lap sheet, operating room sheet
Has a longitudinal opening at the center that is placed over the operative site on the abdomen, the back or a
comparable area.
Long enough to cover the anesthesia screen at the head and extend down over the foot of the table.

3. Medium Sheet/ Small sheet:

Use to drape under legs as an added protection above or below the operative area or for draping area in which a
fenestrated sheet cannot be used.

4. Perineal Sheet: (St. Mary’s)

A sheet used to be create an adequate sterile field with the patient in lithotomy

5. Stockinetic used to cover an extremity

POINTS CONCERNING DRAPES

 Whenever packaged for sterilization, drapes must be properly folded and arranged.
 They must be free from holes.
 Drapes should be sufficiently thick to prevent from soaking through them.
 The entire team should be familiar with the draping procedures.
 Large sheets are marked with an arrow indicating the direction in which they should be unfolded.

PRINCIPLES OF DRAPING:
1. Drapes should be handled as little as possible.
2. Draping must be never involved reaching over as unsterile area.
3. Draping sheets must not be allowed to fall below the waist level because the area below the waist is always
considered unsterile.
4. Drapes should be carried unfolded to the operative site. They must be able hold high enough to avoid
touching unsterile sheets.
5. The incisional area is draped first followed by draping to the periphery.
6. Once a drape is placed, it must not be moved. It should be discarded if it has not been placed correctly.
7. The gloved hand is protected with a cuff formed the drape. The patient’s skin in not touched.
8. Once a towel clip has been secured through a drape or to the patient’s skin. It should be considered
contaminated and discarded along with the drape if it is necessary to remove a drape during the procedure.
9. Whenever sterility is in doubt, it is considered contaminated.
10. Place the drape in a dry area.
11. Take the towels and towel clips, if used to the side of the table from which the surgeon is going to apply that
before handling them to him or her.
12. If a hole is found in a drape after it is laid down, the hole must be covered with another piece of draping
material or the entire drape discarded.