A sponge bowl is a surgical instrument used to hold sponges during surgery, made of stainless steel or plastic and sterilizable. It helps keep the operating room organized, record materials used, and monitor fluid loss.
A sponge bowl is a surgical instrument that is used to hold sponges during surgery. Sponge bowls are usually wide and flat-bottomed so that they are highly stable and easy to use. Many surgical suppliers carry sponge bowls and can also be ordered directly through the manufacturers. While designed for use in surgery, sponge bowls also have other uses in medical practice; for example, a physician may use a bowl to hold materials associated with cleaning and dressing a wound.
As with other instruments used in surgery, it is imperative that a sponge bowl is fully sterilizable to prevent the transfer of microbes from one patient to another. For this reason sponge bowls are often made of stainless steel, as it can withstand harsh soaps and the high temperatures in an autoclave. Some plastics may also be used, depending on the manufacturer. The device usually provides sterilization directions so people know what they need to do to properly sterilize the sponge bowl.
Clean sponges, gauzes, and dressings may be handed to a surgeon in a sponge bowl, with the surgeon or an assistant using sponge grippers to manipulate the contents of the bowl and select the materials needed for a specific application. Conversely, a surgeon may place dirty sponges and other materials from surgery into a sponge bowl, removing the sponges used to absorb blood and fluids when they reach their maximum absorption level.
There are several reasons to use sponge bowls. One is for cleanliness and order in the operating room; by keeping things organized and contained, people reduce the risk of making mistakes by making sure everything a surgeon needs is accessible. Another reason is to record the materials used in surgery to ensure that nothing is left inside the patient. A retained surgical sponge can cause infection and other problems, making it important for operating room personnel to know how many sponges were used in a surgery and where all those sponges are located at any given time.
Another reason to use a sponge bowl is to keep track of how much blood and fluid the patient has lost. By placing soaked sponges in the bowl, the surgeon can monitor fluid loss during surgery, taking appropriate action if fluid loss appears high. Sponge bowls are also used in autotransfusion procedures, with sponges soaked in the patient’s blood used to collect blood for transfusion.
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