Sponges And That String?

Circl8r · Nov 2, 2003

Carcha:

What types of sponges are you referring to?

4x4's or Lap sponges??

Regardless, the 'strings' or tapes should never be removed as you are defeating the radiopaque property should the sponge be left behind in a surgical wound.

Donna, RN, CNOR

carcha · Nov 2, 2003

circl8R, I'm not talking about the radiopaque line just the string that hangs off one corner of the sponge, theres no radiopaque line in it. It just seems that its a throwback from the past, why do we need it. we have it on 45x45, 35x35 and 25x25

Circl8r · Nov 2, 2003

Sorry Carcha, I guess I'm not familiar with the sponges that you speak of.

Our lap sponges do have a looped blue string, about four inches on the end, and it is attached to the corner onto a radiopaque strip of the same size. They come in a standard 12x12 inch size. I think the blue loop also makes it easier to find should it become saturated?

Unused ones make great rags for waxing one's car, too :)

carcha · Nov 5, 2003

and for the windows!

kathyann · Dec 9, 2003

Carcha, I have traveled around a bit, and the only sponges I have seen with strings have strings that are radiopaque........

Ferret · Jan 30, 2004

Hi All,

Australian standards use sponges without tapes, but don't cut them off if they are there....

I think they are a throwback to times before counts.....

sunnyjohn · Feb 22, 2005

According to on maufacturer of those lap sponges, the radiopque string is now a thin line in the sponge itself. If the blue strip is removed (either on pirpos or by accident) the sponge would still show up on x-ray as the radioopaque line is in the lap spnge.

But why take the strip off? It sure makes the sponge easy to spot.

CA CoCoRN, RN · Feb 22, 2005

Hmmmm...we still attach Peons or Kellys to the string when the lap is in the cavity.

and heck...even during the count, it sure makes it easy to pick up each lap...but the string.

mcmike55 · Feb 23, 2005

We have lap sponges, small, large and surgi-walls with the string that you all are describing. In the "old days" when I first started, I saw the docs leaving the strings hang out when they packed, so it was easier to find and pull out later. An ortho guy I knew, used the string/tape to hold a foot in neutral postion so we could get a good A.P. ankle view without needing to stand there and hold it. We never cut strings off, except once in a while, at the end of a case to tie around a defective instrument, so S.P. knows it's no good. Even if you cut the string off, there is still a knot area where it is sewed into the tape.

Our raytec 4x4 gauze sponges have the white and blue string woven right in.

Mike

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Feb 24, 2005

Our laps have strings, with plastic or metal rings at the end.

plate · May 22, 2006

the strings on lap tapes use to be used to loop lap rings to them. I have not seen lap rings in the OR for years.