Disposable vs re-usable drapes

Re: Disposable vs re-usable drapes

Michael Woodhouse — Sun, 27 Oct 2013 00:56:12 GMT

When we went to disposable drapes I hated them. Any ooze ran under the drape and soaked the patient. Since moving to the IMS drapes (plastic impervious material with an absorbent paper) I am massively sold. Think they are great. I honestly suspect the cost of processing a drape is much higher. Remember both the washing machine and autoclave are heavy power users.

I always found cloth drapes the wrong size, especially for 'unpredictable' ops like lump removals.

Re: Disposable vs re-usable drapes

Stephen Courtney — Sun, 27 Oct 2013 00:09:25 GMT

We use disposable drapes for big/ non elective procedures. the client is billed for each one used, along with other consumables, so the cost is irrelevant to us from one sense.

when you take into account laundry and re sterilisation costs vs throwing them away then it's a no - brainer. I think they are less environmentally friendly but then laundry, tumble drying and sterilising in those little plastic packets isn't saving the planet either.

I also think there are proven benefits regarding infection control, but as someone who avoids the op room if at all possible I stand ready to be corrected.

Re: Disposable vs re-usable drapes

John Flynn — Sat, 26 Oct 2013 19:18:37 GMT

[quote user="David Mills"]

Mainly clinical really as far prefer the waterproof disposable drapes, especially for emergency surgery. Whilst there is no strong evidence that disposable vs cloth have any infection advantages overall, I think operating on a compromised animal with a soaked through, struck-through cotton drape is asking for trouble. Interesting that cloth drapes are not really used in hospitals any more.

From a purely logistical angle, they're also more adaptable, easier to hold in place, neater, and easier to grab from a cupboard rather than find the 'right size' drape

The economical side is important but not the reason to want to change - its more of a case of the cost differential between the two.

[/quote]

Makes sense. I think changing for purely economical reasons would likely never see a worthwhile genuine saving (even if there was one on paper) to bother with the organistional change required, especially if you're a single vet battling the status quo.

I prefer a small cloth drape (made to order by a friendly old lady client) for routines such as flank cat spay or bitch spay or some lumpectomies (predictable sized-hole, no need to cut, generally don't use towel clamps), but for anything "non-routine" prefer the disposable drapes. That said, I tend to use the cheapo blue paper "water-repellant" type and usually stick the largest-sized fenestrated cloth drape over the top of this then as they're easily torn or punctured otherwise if I get carried away during surgery. For certain ortho procedures involving implants (or if laparotomy can't be avoided in presence of ventral pyoderma etc) I sometimes splash out on an adhesive cut-through type drape in addition - these do push the price up unless anyone can point me in the direction of more economical ones... but they do a fab job and I justify it in my head in saving on potential post-op complications and antibiotics given that I'm quite convinced the exposed skin of the dog is likely to be the biggest source of potential wound bacterial contamination.

I launder cloth drapes separate to scrub tops as I always end up with too many hairs on the latter. Leave them soaking after surgery in bucket and use biological detergent on quick cycle at low temp towards end of day and hang up in kennel room (not ideal, but heated at night) to dry overnight.

Final thought: clinical waste disposal costs might need to be factored in for the disposables - if not careful is amazing how much room can take up in a clinical waste bag if that's what's required for blood contaminated materials in your local area.

Re: Disposable vs re-usable drapes

David Mills — Sat, 26 Oct 2013 18:32:00 GMT

[quote user="John Flynn"]Out of curiosity, what's your motivation for trying to instigate a switch at your clinic, is it just for for routine neutering ops or "larger" procedures or both, and is it purely economical motivation or other aspects such as clinical or environmental?[/quote]

From a purely logistical angle, they're also more adaptable, easier to hold in place, neater, and easier to grab from a cupboard rather than find the 'right size' drape

The economical side is important but not the reason to want to change - its more of a case of the cost differential between the two. Memories hazy but I think at higher throughputs the disposable become cheaper due to washing, autoclaving, staff time, etc etc.

Environmental - hadn't really considered it, but yes, I can see an effect.

Re: Disposable vs re-usable drapes

Rob Loxley — Sat, 26 Oct 2013 18:23:54 GMT

I tried to work it out a while back but there's a few other issues. The number one is that if you cost the time to clean, load/unload washer/dryer/autoclave, pack a drape at National Minimum Wage (~10p/minute) it alone very soon comes to the price of a disposable drape (from ~25p upwards). But if you buy disposables your wage bill doesn't go down unless you can save employing a member of staff, or they actually do something more valuable.
You can cost running the washing machine but are you running a wash to do scrub tops anyway? If you are packing the drape with your kit, is it costing any more to autoclave? Nobody could agree how long a cloth drape lasted. I gave up, but my suspicion was that the staffing/time issue was the biggie, and if your nurses are stretched for time, then it's a good way to buy time back.

More productively, it did seem to make economic sense to buy pre-packed sterile swabs than buy unsterile and pack on their own as was happening (but cheaper to buy unsterile and pack in with the kit...). Sadly the actual saving made hasn't paid for anyone's early retirement!

Re: Disposable vs re-usable drapes

karen jones — Sat, 26 Oct 2013 18:18:48 GMT

We have used all disposable drapes for many years. As well as cost of drapes there is the time of the staff laundering , drying and then resterillising. We get the majority of ours from company called IMS which are great from many disposable especially things like hep caps Foley catheters etc

Re: Disposable vs re-usable drapes

John Flynn — Sat, 26 Oct 2013 17:11:12 GMT

no figures here i'm afraid.

But interested in the answer also!

I assume that if there's a break-even point where one became economically cheaper, then it would be the re-usables cheaper than the disposable at a large enough daily through-put so that laundering of single drapes didn't occur etc? Also probably depends what type of disposable and whether the re-usables are tumble-dried or air-dried.

[I'm assuming it's the economic cost you're after rather than the environmental cost, but on the latter I would assume the re-usables superior as long as not being tumble-dried, but that's just a gut feeling]

Out of curiosity, what's your motivation for trying to instigate a switch at your clinic, is it just for for routine neutering ops or "larger" procedures or both, and is it purely economical motivation or other aspects such as clinical or environmental?