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O U T P AT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 4
IDEAS
That Work
Practical pearls from your colleagues
A
s a center
that does
nearly
400 cosmetic
injections a year,
we needed an
alternative to
pricey dispos-
able gel ice
packs that melt
quickly. We
turned to party
balloons. Instead
of spending $155
for 150 gel
packs, we now
pay about $10 for 144 balloons, saving us nearly $400 a year. We fill
the balloons with water, leaving a few inches to tie them. When
needed, we take the frozen balloon and run it under cold water for
about a minute, so it melts and leaves a cushion of water around
the ice. Finally, we wrap it in a paper towel before giving it to the
patient. For those who are allergic, we keep some non-latex bal-
loons on hand. The patients love them, especially when we match
the balloon's color with seasons or holidays.
Kim Patrick, RN
Rousso Facial Plastic Surgery Clinic
ICE PACK BALLOONS
Use Frozen Balloons Instead of Gel Packs
Birmingham, Ala.
drousso@bellsouth.net
ICE, ICE BABY
Frozen balloons are a
cheap and easy alter-
native to ice packs.
