Surgical Drapes
Surgical drapes are used in the OR to protect the patient, clinicians, and equipment.
Drapes can be made of cloth or paper, and reusable or disposable. Figure 89-4 shows a
surgical procedure underway with the patient draped. Important characteristics include
barrier protection effectiveness, resistance to ignition, and durability. Surgical drapes are
employed to provide a physical barrier that protects the surgical field from contamination.
An “ether screen” is the wall of drapes set up in order to provide a barrier between the
anesthesia work area, at the head of the patient, and the surgical field. Drapes are also
placed in the surgical field around the incision site to cover the patient and to collect fluids.
They also can be used to wrap sterile surgical instruments and to cover equipment in
the surgical suite.