Question 1

Are both sides of this drape white? Or is one side another color (like blue) like some other brands of sterile drapes?

Accepted Answer

Both sides are white.  The drapes have a water-proof poly layer sandwiched between two white tissue paper layers.

Question 2

Surgical drape has been suggested for the filter pocket in cloth masks that are now being made. Is this what is suggested?

Accepted Answer

Surgical drapes are not appropriate materials for masks.  If you use a disposable drape its usually made with a waterproof barrier that does not plow air through like a mask vapor barrier does.  While they are paper fiber they are not meltbrown products and are no more of a filter that a t-shirt would be.  The purpose of a sterile drape or towel is totally different from the filtering effect of a mask.  A sterile drape or platform is meant for a clean surface covering to work from and usually has no reason to have a filtering capability which is what you need for a mask.  As for cloth drapes or towels that can be reused by washing and then autoclaving or sterilized this is also not good for masks as that material is woven and the weave allows particles and virus through easily.  DYI masks made erroneously from cotton and other fabrics which are woven and mask you by claiming they protect but are called 'fashion masks' are called that instead of medical or surgical products are called that as anything covering your face made from woven materials is worthless and is about as good as no mask at all.  Many places started pumping out reusable cloth fabric masks made of woven fabric but sadly were not required to note on their packaging that they do not provide protection from anything smaller than large grit sand/dirt/sawdust and do not block the expelling of virus if the person is infected and shedding virus, or if they are hoping to filer what they are breathing in, and slipping a filtering pad inside  woven mask does not add much protection.  Many large fabric store chains hit on the idea of selling cotton cloth and bits o elastic at generally higher cost than it would have cost to but the yardage and tell people they could DTI masks, and people started doing so and passing them out but these are not protecting anyone or helping anyone except for the fabric stores bottom line for having sellouts on fabric they could not sell anyway and great amounts of elastic.  it was a great benefit to the fabric chains and a great deal of risk to those that fell for the idea that they knew what they were selling as supposedly PPE masks.

Question 3

Are these individually wrapped?

Accepted Answer

Actually, any  number of towels or drapes can be packages and and be considered sterile as a set for use for one procedure, however once the package is opened they must be used for that procedure using sterile technique or are no longer sterile.  Very often surgical towels or surgical drapes come packaged in amounts from 4-10 as that is the average needed to fully drape an area for a sterile procedure or the average number of towels a surgeon wants open at a time.  AS long as the packaging is handled correctly by having on sterile gloves or using sterile instruments to manipulate the towels they are sterile throughout the procedure as long as not touched by any none sterile instruments of hands etc.  Used or not they are considered no longer sterile once the procedure is done and need to be returned to be washed, packed and reserialized OR disposed of.  It is very difficult to find single sterile towel sized drapes packaged individually as these are as most procedures would require several or more towels and so its easier and more cost effective to open  package of several sterile towels or drapes and not one at a time.  Some prefer multiple sets of sterile towels so that they can also cover a towel on which sterile items have been arranged with another sterile towel until the start of the procedure and the person performing the procedure and who is using an aseptic technique (sterile technique) removes the covering towel

These however are paper disposable drapes, and are individually sealed in their own paper much like a bandage would be.  These are excellent if you need a sterile area set up for placing things needed for a procedure such as when you might be accessing a port-a-cath or setting up sterile items for a wound or dressing change.  Many dressing trays do come with a small sterile drape but often those can be just a bit small for all the items you want to place on them and still have an area that is not used around the edges.  These are only single wrapped so either you will need someone to open the package for you without touching the drape inside while you wear sterile gloves and a mask to remove the drape from the inside without touching the outside packaging or breathing on the drape or you can peel the package open making sure not to contaminate the drape and then pick it up with either sterile towel clamps to place it, or get it from the packaging once you have put on sterile gloves and can drape the area you will be placing sterile items.   Remember that if you place the drape on the patient or on a tray, table etc. while the side that touches anything else is no longer sterile and if you now touch that side with you sterile gloves your gloves are no longer sterile.  The side of the drape facing up, that has touched nothing else and not been breathed on, is sterile and sterile items can be placed on it and remain sterile.

These are a bit more expensive per towel because they are individually wrapped but actually are more economical if only one sterile drape is required

These are totally disposable and cannot be washed or reused or re-autoclaved/sterilized and if the packaging is damaged they cannot be considered sterile any longer.

Question 4

Fenestrated or non-fenestrated?

Accepted Answer

These are non-fenestrated

Disposable Towel Drapes, Sterile, 18" x 26," for Medical & Surgical Use, Poly-Interlined Lining, Protect from Contaminants, 1 Box of 50 Drapes

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