Belly-button snafu

Specialties Operating Room

Published

I'm so annoyed at myself. I did a tummy prep today and paid extra attention to the belly button, used 4 swabs to clean it out. The last one appeared to come out clean. When the surgeon got to the field he used another swap to pull out MORE gunk.

It looked clean to me. The only thing I can think of is that the betadine sat in there an loosened up more gunk that didn't come out the first 4 times I swabbed it.

How many times do you swab the button before you're 100% certain that it's clean? Do you soak it before hand to loosen the dirt up?

I feel like such an idiot.

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Specializes in O.R., ED, M/S.

You'll never know how many times over 30 years I have dug and dug around a belly button only to think I had really cleaned it out. Only a surgeon would be the one to find somethin' in there. I got over it a long time ago and there's not much you can do about it. Also, I have NEVER had a surgeon say. "Prep it again". They just ask for a little betadine and clean it out with a 4x4.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Some people's belly buttons hold more crap than a toilet, and we don't wanna ask how long it's been there.

Sometimes you can just look at one and you can tell 2 Q-tips won't cut it (i.e. it looks like a 'line' because it is stuck shut.). Also i've noticed that when i prep, if i can't move the Q-tip in circles, it's not JUST the Q-tip and prep in there.

If it looks like something a Q-tip won't pull out, ask the scrub for a hemostat. That works great for industrial lintballs.

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:barf01::barf01:

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Unfortunately you can only clean it until you think you have gotten everything and as Marie said, use a hemostat on the big stuff. (sick) As shodobe stated, most of the time they just ask for betadine and a 4 x 4 to clean it themselves a little more. I have only seen once where a surgeon wanted the patient prepped again and he was in a bad mood that day.

Don’t be annoyed at yourself as you are trying at your best and that sometimes is just what happens.

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If it looks very dirty, fill the umbilicus with hydrogen peroxide and stir it around with a Q-tip for a minute to loosen up the gunk. Then clean and dry it with a 4x4. Then start the normal prep.

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Specializes in Operating Room.

Slightly OT, but belly button gunk is one of the few things that make me want to barf. I can handle severed limbs and fingers, open fractures etc but show me some belly button goop, and I sart gagging. Also the case with anesthesia sputum and snot!:eek:

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Hey, I'm thinkin', put up one of those Hydrosurge power flushers and a 3L bag of water with some Betadine and blast that bad boy!:yeah:

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