SEPTIC TOWEL TECHNIQUE Definition Is a technique practiced during the progress of the operation : - To prevent contamination of spillage to other

surrounding tissue or organs in the peritoneal cavity. - To prevent soiling of other sterile field. Spillage infection, irritation or transfer of cancerous tissue. Indication 1. Opening into any part of the gastrointestinal tract. (prevent spillage to the surrounding tissue or organs in the peritoneal cavity) 2. Bile duct operation or biliary system, as spillage of bile chemical irritation. 3. Abdominal Hysterectomy. When the vaginal vault is opened spillage from vagina to the abdominal cavity. 4. Removing of cancerous tissue or growth. (prevent the transfer of cancerous tissue & cells to the other areas) Procedures 1. Extra towels are placed near the incision site 1 lower incision site & 1 upper part (@table level) to receive contaminated instruments; kidney dish also can be used. 2. Get ready sucker to suck the spillage to reduce endogenous spillage. 3. Limit the no. of instruments used to reduce contamination. 4. 2nd Scrub nurse (major cases) to assist the 1st scrub nurse. 5. Change gloves before washout and after washout and put on fresh drapes. (Reinforce with new drapes). 6. Soiled gauze/sponges throw into the kick bucket straight away Procedure: Example- Gastrointestinal tract Surgery 1. To put extra towels on the incision site (top & down). 2. Receiver to receive soiled clamps and sponges or contaminated instruments e.g. Bp handle & blade, babcocks, scissors, sucker. 3. 2 scrub nurses 1st scrub nurse handles instruments in the operation field. 2nd scrub nurse maintain sterility, supplies the necessary requirements to the 1st scrub nurse. She must not receive or touch any articles from the operation field. 4. Once the anastomosis is completed, the 1st scrub nurse remove all the contaminated articles from the operation field together with the contaminated drapes and hand it over to the circulating nurse. (without passing through the sterile field) 5. Abdominal washout is done. All the scrub team members should change gloves before abdominal washout; ideally the gowns also must be changed. 6. Reinforce with fresh drapes over the original drapes. 7. Change the surgeons wash basin too. 8. Sort out the discarded instruments on the floor.