2 0 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8
E
xtra care is needed when removing
adhesives in the OR, especially when
caring for patients with fragile or deli-
cate skin. A few tips to avoid tearing skin
when you pull drapes, monitoring lines and
tape off patients:
SKIN CARE
Adhesive Removal: Go Low and Slow
• Always apply
adhesives to dry
skin. Before applying
the drapes and adhe-
sive, let prepped skin
fully dry to prevent
potential skin irrita-
tion. Similarly, when
you clean the patient
with sterile saline
after the procedure,
wait for the skin to
dry before putting on
the post-op dressing
and adhesive.
• Use low tension.
Don't stick one end of
an adhesive to the
skin before pulling it
taut and stretching it
across the application
area. Hold it lightly
and place it gently on
the skin.
• Easy does it.
During removal, slow-
ly pull up the edge of
• LOW AND SLOW To keep skin intact when removing adhesives, pull back the
adhesive at a low horizontal angle, away from the corner or edge, slowly separating
it from the skin.
Hospital
for
Special
Surgery,
New
York,
N.Y.
