This month, OR Today interviewed representatives from Ecolab to find out more about the ways robotic surgery has changed and surgical drapes are used.

OR Today: What are some of the challenges associated with using traditional or generic surgical patient drapes for robotic surgery cases?

Ecolab: Ecolab works closely with our customers when developing new draping technology. After observing many robot assisted hysterectomy and prostatectomy surgeries, we discovered that the openings in the generic surgical drapes commonly used in these procedures were not large enough to accommodate robotic arms. The drapes also did not allow enough coverage for the sterile field. These two challenges were forcing clinicians to cut openings in the drapes to make them larger and staple multiple drapes together for adequate sterile coverage. Ecolab’s Microtek brand of surgical drapes include versions that are procedure specific as well as universal for both Hysterectomy & Prostatectomy, and eliminate the need to manually cut draping by providing custom fenestrations that accommodate various sizes of the patient population. They also eliminate the need to staple multiple drapes together providing efficiency and decreasing the set up time for robotic cases.

OR Today: What are other common challenges that arise during robotic surgery cases?

OR Today Magazine | August | Q&A Robotic SurgeryEcolab: During robotic surgery, lengthy set up time and maintaining the sterile field are common challenges. Managing the cords and instrumentation, as well as fluid management, are a few other challenges that commonly arise. Some of the Microtek drape designs include the Perfect Pouch® for fluid management, which is particularly important in hysterectomy cases. The pouch has an inflatable rim that stays intact without collapsing during the procedure. This allows the pouch to remain open. In addition, the Microtek brand drapes also have highly durable side abdominal pouches with hook and loop closures, as well as strategically positioned pre-attached hook and loop holders for management of cords and instrumentation. These allow instrumentation and cords to remain in the area of the sterile field.

OR Today: How does the Microtek brand provide a one-stop solution?

Ecolab: Many end users are utilizing multiple drapes and other items to create a makeshift solution for their surgery cases. It is common to see a lap sheet, 3⁄4 sheet, and plastic drape being assembled using a sterile stapler while manually cutting the fenestrations for robotic cases. The benefit that Ecolab’s Microtek brand drapes provide is an integrated single draping solution. With one of the most comprehensive line of surgical drapes on the market, we offer configurations that include multiple legging options, procedure appropriate fenestrations, pouches for fluid management, options with under-buttocks drapes included, pre-attached anesthesia screens, and drape lengths that reduce the need to pull 1⁄2 and 3⁄4 sheets. There are multiple variations of drapes to accommodate clinical needs, surgeon preference and various draping techniques. Microtek brand surgical drapes offer customers a comprehensive range of options to meet their every need. They also feature innovative technology to help reduce procedure set up time as well as the need to assemble multiple drapes.

OR Today: How was the line of Robotic Patient Drapes developed?

Ecolab: Microtek brand robotic patient drapes were designed by a team working very closely with surgeons, robotic coordinators, nursing staff and surgical technicians. Our design team which consisted of Marketing, Research and Development as well as a field sales rep who is also trained as an OR Nurse conducted many robotic surgical procedure observations while designing these innovative draping solutions. Through our Rapid Product Development process, unique to the Microtek brand, we have discovered that as procedure technology changes, so do surgical patient draping needs. These changes in technology present the need for multiple solutions to accommodate surgeon and clinical preference as well as incorporate best practices.

OR Today: Does Ecolab have any other products that make managing robotic surgery cases easier?

Ecolab: Ecolab recently launched the Scope PillowTM Warmer Drape, a new addition to the Ecolab OR Solutions warmer drape portfolio, specifically designed to safely warm robotic scopes to prevent lens fogging during surgery. This new drape includes a built-in foam pillow to securely hold scopes while the scope tip remains at a controlled warm temperature within the fluid basin of the Ecolab OR Solutions Scope Warming System. This tried-and-true water bath method for scope warming has proven successful for many years and for thousands of surgical procedures. The multi-tasking scope warming system can not only warm multiple scopes at once, but can also warm trochars and other instruments, and will even warm a container of sterile irrigation fluid for select surgical procedures.