Table of Contents
🧻 Sterile Towel: Definition
A sterile towel is a piece of absorbent material that has undergone validated sterilization procedures and is used in medical or surgical environments to maintain aseptic conditions.
🎯 Primary Uses
- Drying the surgical site after skin cleaning
- Blotting antiseptic without compromising sterility
- Creating sterile fields or serving as barriers during draping
- Assisting in handling sterile instruments or gowning/gloving
🧪 Characteristics
- Sterile: Packaged and sterilized (usually by autoclaving or gamma irradiation)
- Lint-free: To prevent contamination
- Highly absorbent: Usually cotton or synthetic blend
- Supplied in single-use sterile packaging
⚠️ Best Practices
- Open package only when ready for use
- Discard if packaging is compromised or towel is dropped
- Do not use for drying hands unless part of a sterile surgical scrub set
🧠 In Neurosurgery
- Used to blot antiseptic on the scalp after drying (if permitted)
- Included in surgical packs for cranial or spinal procedures
- Must not touch non-sterile surfaces to maintain field sterility