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| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2023 | Volume
: 6
| Issue : 2 | Page : 183-185 |
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Use of sanitary napkin for dressing in hip surgery: A cost-effective measure
Shreyansh Shukla, Amar Patil, G Goutham, K Harish
Department of Orthopaedics, Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences, Mandya, Karnataka, India
| Date of Submission | 15-Jan-2023 |
| Date of Decision | 30-Jan-2023 |
| Date of Acceptance | 06-Feb-2023 |
| Date of Web Publication | 3-May-2023 |
Correspondence Address:
K Harish
Department of Orthopaedics, Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Science, BG Nagara, Mandya, Karnataka
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
DOI: 10.4103/jodp.jodp_6_23
Introduction: One of the important factors that promote wound site dryness is the dressing material used. Sanitary napkins have been tried in the past for dressing of wounds in the postoperative period to effectively absorb fluids and secretions. This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of sterile sanitary napkins when used as dressing in the immediate postoperative period for hip region surgeries in terms of efficacy and cost effectiveness. Methodology: Adult patients aged 18 and above (male and female) undergoing surgeries in the hip region were included in the study and grouped into three groups based on the type of dressing applied in the postoperative period. Results: The total cost of dressings was found to be the highest (>250 rupees) in group receiving commercial dressing compared to the most economical in Group A (sanitary napkins). The presence of soakage was found to be the highest in group getting conventional dressing. Conclusion: Sanitary napkin is a novel innovative option for dressing, being very economical, readily available, easily sterilizable, and can be used in hospitals in remote areas too.
Keywords: Hip surgery, sanitary napkins, sterile dressing
How to cite this article:
Shukla S, Patil A, Goutham G, Harish K. Use of sanitary napkin for dressing in hip surgery: A cost-effective measure. J Orthop Dis Traumatol 2023;6:183-5 |
How to cite this URL:
Shukla S, Patil A, Goutham G, Harish K. Use of sanitary napkin for dressing in hip surgery: A cost-effective measure. J Orthop Dis Traumatol [serial online] 2023 [cited 2023 Jun 4];6:183-5. Available from: https://jodt.org/text.asp?2023/6/2/183/375551 |
| Introduction | |  |
Dry dressings are desirable for uneventful wound healing as soaked dressings can themselves be a source of infection in the immediate postoperative period.[1] Thus, it becomes a matter of concern to patients as well as the treating surgeons. One of the important factors that promote wound site dryness is the dressing material used. Sanitary napkins have been tried in the past for dressing of wounds in the postoperative period to effectively absorb fluids and secretions.[2],[3]
Among orthopedic surgeries, hip region surgical wounds are difficult to dress and keep dry due to its dependency and inability to apply bulky dressings. This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of sterile sanitary napkins when used as dressing in the immediate postoperative period for hip region surgeries in terms of efficacy and cost effectiveness.
| Methodology | | |
This was a prospective study conducted on 150 patients undergoing surgeries on the hip region from September 2019 to June 2021 at a tertiary hospital in Karnataka. The sample size was calculated using 95% confidence interval and power of study 80% as 50 patients in each arm. With an allocation ratio of 1:1:1, the samples were randomized by closed envelope method using the numbers generated by the computer or from the random number table to obtain randomization code for enclosing the numbers in the closed envelopes used for randomization and were divided into three groups each having n = 50.
- Group 1: Sanitary napkin
- Group 2: Conventional gauze pad
- Group 3: Commercially available occlusive dressing.
The parameters studied were:
- Presence of soakage
- Number of dressing changes required
- Number of patients with surgical site infection for 3 months postoperatively
- Total cost of dressings.
Adult patients aged 18 and above (male and female) undergoing surgeries in the hip region were included in the study. Patients with bleeding tendencies or unwilling to participate were excluded from the study.
Written informed consent was obtained from all the participants. Patients posted for hip surgeries were randomly allocated into any of the three groups. Postsurgery, sterile dressing was applied as per the group, taken as D0 (Dressing 0); redressing was done on days 2, 5, and 10 (D2, D5, and D10, respectively).
Data were compiled on Microsoft Excel 2010 software (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington, 2010). Data were analyzed using SPSS 20 (IBM Corporation, New York, USA 2014). For statistical analysis, descriptive statistics were used. The independent samples t-test was used for data following normal distribution. The chi square test was used for data not following normal distribution. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
| Results | | |
Age and gender distribution
Most of the study participants belonged to the age group of 51–70 years (38.6%). The three groups were clinically and statistically comparable with P = 0.728. Hence, all groups are comparable in terms of age.
There were 89 females and 61 males in our study. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of gender distribution (P = 0.849).
Our groups were comparable in terms of types of surgery as shown in [Table 1].
The total cost of dressings was found to be the highest (>250 rupees) in group receiving commercial dressing compared to the most economical in Group A (sanitary napkins). The data were as tabulated in [Table 1] and was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.001).
The presence of soakage was found to be the highest in Group 2 as shown in [Table 1] and [Figure 1], [Figure 2], [Figure 3].
There was no incidence of surgical site infection in either of the groups in our study.
| Discussion | | |
A protective barrier is required to cover wounds, limit contamination, and fasten healing.
An ideal orthopedic dressing should be absorbent, protective, low cost, permeable, transparent, moist, and protecting skin integrity. Smoot was the first to use napkin in plastic surgery cases.[4] Shetty used it for the dressing of Total knee replacement (TKR) wounds with fairly good results.[5] In our study too, sterile napkin fared well in all the parameters compared to commonly used dressing materials with novel innovative and economical option (average cost of one packet of sanitary napkin is 25rs containing five napkins in each pack).
| Conclusion | | |
Sanitary napkins are readily available in the market and can be easily sterilized for surgical dressings. These materials are highly absorbent for blood and secretions. Our study found that with the use of sanitary napkins, it was possible to reduce the number of dressings used for wound dressing posthip surgery with no incidence of infection.
To conclude, sanitary napkin is a novel innovative option for dressing, being very economical, readily available, easily sterilizable, and can be used in hospitals in remote areas too.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
| References | | |
| 1. | Waknis P, Sarode SC, Prasad GS, Limaye G, Sarode GS. Sterile feminine hygiene sanitary napkin dressing in the management of Ludwig's angina. World J Dent 2015;6:239-40.  |
| 2. | Varon J. Feminine hygiene sanitary napkins for wound dressings. Plast Reconstr Surg 1999;103:1543. |
| 3. | Demir A, Eroğlu L. The use of sterilized feminine hygiene sanitary napkins for dressing of skin-grafted and donor areas. Plast Reconstr Surg 2003;111:2475. |
| 4. | Smoot EC. Alternative wound dressings. Plast Reconstr Surg 1998;102:268. |
| 5. | Shetty VD. Drywounds matter: The use of occlusive sterile sanitary napkin dressing in hip and knee replacement wounds. Int Wound J 2010;7:428-9. |
[Figure 1], [Figure 2], [Figure 3]
[Table 1]
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