Sterile microenvironment for postoperative wound care
McLaughlan, J.; Scotland, A.D.; Trexler, P.C.
Lancet 2(8088): 503
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0140-6736 PMID: 79870 Document Number: 128895
The wound isolator consists of a flexible plastic polyvinyl chloride dome welded to a plastic adhesive surgical drape. This drape forms the base of the envelope and is placed around the wound after a rectangle has been cut in it to allow 1.5 in. clearance between the edge of the drape and the wound. Several cones are welded into the surface of the envelope to form access ports for air supply, wound drainage, suction and irrigation, if necessary. In 1 corner of the surface is a siliconized powder puff type outlet filter of glass wool. The whole isolator comes pre-packed and .gamma.-irradiated. It is applied in the theater instead of a dressing with the exit filter in the least dependent position. The sterile air supply, which consists of compressed air fed through an in-line filter with a NaCl penetration of less than 0.001%, is connected as soon as possible and adjusted so that approximately 5 l of sterile air is supplied to the wound environment/min. Before the sutures are removed, the wound can be observed through the transparent wall of the isolator and any procedures necessary for the maintenance of a clean would can be carried out easily through the access cones. Since the airflow into the isolator is maintained at a pressure which is slightly greater than that in the external environment, airborne and direct contact cross-infection of the wound is prevented.