General Surgical

Supplies
Presented
By
Muhammad Naeem
 Surgical Sponges
They comes in a variety of shape and sizes.
Each have its own specific purpose.

Use:
 The Most Common use of Surgical sponges
are to absorb blood and Fluid.
Characteristics of Sponges used
inside the Body Cavities

 They Should Be Lint Free

 Soft, to avoid damaging Tissue
 Radiopaque Strip Sewn into them (to
make them Visible on X-Ray if left inside
wound
Types of Surgical
Sponges
 RayTec
 The RayTec spnge is a
4*4 inchy sponge with
a radiopaque strip
sewn into it.
 Must be off Loosely
woven Guaze, which
give it a rough surface
 Not Usually used
during the Laprotomy
bcs they are easily
Lost in the
abdominopelvic
Cavity
 RayTec
 Wrapped Around the
Finger RayTec Used for
Blunt Tissue Dissection.
 Mounted on the sponge
stick and used to absorb
fluid or dissect tissue
inside the abdominal
cavity.
 Moisten with saline or
sterile Water, used to
keep Surgical
Instruments free of
Debris
 Laprotomy Sponges
Also Known as laps,
12*12 Inches, or 18*18
Inches
Radiopaque Strip
Used when large
incisions of the thoracic
or abdominopelvic cavity
are involved, during
vascualr surgery involving
large blood vessels or
during major orthopedic
Procedure.
 Laprotomy Sponges
Most commonly used
for absorbption of
large amount of blood
or body fluid
Moisten with saliine,
can be used for
padding between
body tissue and
retractors to decrease
the chance of tissue
injury.
 Laparotomy Tape
Long Thin laprotomy
sponge. Made of
Surgical Cotton.
4*18 Inches
Radiopaque Strip
Used to absorb blood
or body fluid from a
narrow, deep incision.
 Tonsil (Round Sponge)
Round Pieces of
Cotton covered with
gauze that have a
string attached for
easy retrieval from
the throat
Have Radiopaque
Strip
Mounted on a Clamp
and placed in the
throat to control
bleeding in the tonsil
bed.
 Tonsil (Round Sponge)
Can be usd plain or
hemostatic agent
applied to them
During removing the
sponge be sure to
remove both sponge
and string.
 Peanuts
Known as “dissector,
pushers and Kitners,
Small Oval Piece of
Cotton wrapped in
gauze
Have radiopaque strip
Used commonly for
Blunt Tissue Dissection
Always mounted on a
clamp
 Cherries Sponge
Small Round balls of
tightly wrapped cotton
Only difference
between Cherries and
Peanuts Songe is
their tight wrapped
and stiffening.
Can be easity lost in
the field
 Neurosurgical Sponges
Also know as patty or
cottonoid,
Flat, square or
rectangular made of
cotton or synthetic
material with a
radiopaque strip down
the center
Has a string attached
for easy retrieval
1/8 to 1 inch wide and
1/8 to 6 Inches long.
 Neurosurgical Sponges
Used for hemostasis
Moisten with Saline or
Thrombin
Placed over an Area
to be suctioned and a
small suction place on
the top of them
instead of directly on
the tissue, thus
protecting the tissue
from damaging.
 Eye Sponge
Called “Spears”
Small Flat triangular
Piece of Cellulose each
mounted on a small, thin
piece of plastic.
They are usd to absorb
small amount of blood
and fluid during eye
surgery.
Do Not have radiopaque
strip because not used
inside body cavity.
 General Sponge Handling Tips
 Sponges are contaminated with blood or
Body Fluids. Use Standard Precautions.
 Gloves Must be Worn when handling
sponges. Never Use you Bare Hands.
 Sponges should be tossed off the Field
into a proper receptacle. Eg. Kick Bucket
or Basin
 General Sponge Handling Tips
 During Setting up your table, like Sponges
should be kept together and separate from other
types. E.g.. All laprotomy sponges in one area to
Avoid Confusion and to make counting more
Efficient
 A Separate Sponge bag for each type of
Sponge.
 Keep Small Sponges like Cherries or dissectors,
attached to a clamp or in the Holder.
 General Sponge Holding Tips
 To Avoid damaging Tissue, Moisten
Sponges that are being used inside the
Chest, Abdomen and Pelvis with Saline
before Use.
 Once initial count has been done never
remove a sponge from the operating
Room.
 While Counting sponges, separate each
sponge to avoid missing a sponge or
miscounting Each type of Sponge should
be Count Separately.