Smart-Draping-A Validated Novice Technique to Prevent Drapes Peeling off During Hip Fracture Fixation Surgery: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study

Abstract

The contamination of the surgical field can be a potential risk of infection that can be devastating to patients undergoing hip fracture fixation surgery. Drapes peeling off during such operation is a recognised challenge that can lead to such a contamination. We describe and validate a simple technique to prevent drapes peeling off the operative field during hip fracture fixation surgery using the smart-draping technique. The smart-draping entails applying a sterile disposable single large adhesive op-sheet to the inferior aspect of the thigh, just under the proposed surgical incision, followed by applying the usual plastic vertical isolation drape. Fourteen neck-of-femur fracture patients undergoing dynamic hip screw (DHS) fixation were recruited and randomised into study and control groups to measure fluid leakage, as an indirect measurement of the vertical drapes peeling off the surgical site. Incontinence pads were placed on the floor to collect all leaked fluid in all patients. The average weight of the fluid collected in the study groups was 11.4 gm (SD ± 12.1) while that of the control group was 354.3 gm (SD ± 175). There was a statistical significant difference between the two methods favouring the smart-draping method over the control one. (P<0.001) We conclude that smart-draping technique will make it harder for the drapes to peel off thus, avoiding the potential contamination of the surgical field and ultimately avoiding potential infection of the surgical site in hip fracture fixation surgery.