Thinking of Buying... Floor-Based Fluid Management Devices

Surgeries can be splashy, messy affairs. Floor-based fluid management mats and pads are a more effective and economical option than throwing blankets, towels or sheets down around the OR table to absorb fluid runoff. These products save on laundering costs, keep your surgical team safe from slipping hazards and help speed up room turnovers. Some even offer ergonomic benefits.

There are a lot of models to consider. Here's a look at the various factors you should consider when evaluating these floor-based super soakers:

• Disposable or reusable? Many mats are essentially high-tech paper towels that you must properly dispose of as medical waste at the end of the case. Others are reusable, particularly the ergonomically friendly mats.
• Suction or absorption? Some mats connect to direct-to-drain suction systems, absorbing fluids and directing them away from the OR table. Others are like sponges, super-absorbent fluid collectors on their own. When evaluating these products, compare how powerful the suction is or how absorbent the mats are. There will be differences.
• Size. As you'll see in the product profiles on the following pages, floor-based solutions come in all sorts of dimensions. It's best to measure the area where fluid usually spills during operations to get an idea of which size would be best for your purposes.
• Profile. How flat do you want the mat to be? Could people trip over an edge? Can you roll instrument carts and other equipment over it or does it bunch up? Consider these factors when shopping the options.
• Ergonomics. How does the mat feel under the surgeon's feet, and how does it impact their posture and balance, especially during long cases? Some mats are marketed for their comfort and anti-fatigue properties.
• Ease of use. How long does it take to set up the mat between cases, and how easy or difficult is it to do so? If it's single-use, how easy is it to pick up and throw away?

You'll want your OR teams to trial every product you're considering. They won't know how the products will perform until they're used in live cases. If you're a multispecialty center, try them with a range of case types with different surgeons, procedure lengths and fluid intensity. You might find that different pads work better for different procedures. OSM

Ansell

Sandel DriFloor Absorbent Pad

ansell.com
866-764-3327

FYI: Ansell says these disposable pads absorb 11 times their weight in fluid. They include what the company describes as a low-slip, impervious backing that prevents fluids from leaking through to the floor. They're available in a variety of sizes ?— 16.5" x 20", 28" x 125", 33" x 40", 35 x 46", 33" x 100" or 30" x 72" — in multipacks of various quantities, or on a roll.

Aspen Surgical

SurgiSafe CinchMat Absorbent Floor Mat

aspensurgical.com
888-364-7004

FYI: Here's an absorbent, single-use floor mat that comes with an ingenious twist that makes its disposal quicker and easier. A built-in pull cord makes throwing it out when you're done, well, a cinch. Its top layer has wicking abilities to quickly absorb fluids and prevent splashing and pooling, while its skid-resistant fluid barrier backing keeps the floor beneath the mat dry and prevents staining. The 46" x 40" mat can accommodate two staffers at once, says the company.

Flagship Surgical

EcoDri-Safe Absorbent Rolls

flagshipsurgical.com
888-633-5843

FYI: These 100-foot rolls of absorbent pads, perforated every 20 inches, provide convenience and easy accessibility to OR staff. Manufactured with up to 33% recycled materials, the company touts the pads' optional impermeable, non-slip poly-backing that locks liquid within the absorbent material while keeping the pad firmly in place. Another neat option is to add the company's wheeled multi-dispenser — simply wheel the roll in when you need it, and save storage and shelf space in the OR.

GelPro Medical

Pad!t Ergonomic Fluid Management Mat

gelpromedical.com
512-628-1704

FYI: Air and fluids flow through a grid of openings on this 18" x 27" pad and onto a separate absorbent pad. GelPro touts the mat's shock-absorbing, breathable three-dimensional design, claiming the mat's rows of foam projections massage and conform to your feet by stabilizing weight distribution. The mat's ergonomics are said to boost the body's blood and oxygen flow, increase fine motor activity to support better posture, and make load distribution and skeletal centration more efficient by "stimulating greater coordination" within the nervous system. The bacteria-resistant, waterproof mat is made from closed cell ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and is sold in packs of five for $174.75.

MD Technologies

Promethean Island 4400

prometheanmedical.com
800-201-3060

FYI: This suction floor mat is designed to be positioned below surgical drapes to catch fluids, eliminating the need for pocket drapes. It's not absorbable; instead, it collects fluid, which is then suctioned away. The company says it enables measurement of deficit fluids not collected in a canister or other suction collection device during cases. ?The latest version of this product features a walking surface with improved porocity; instead of perforations, this suction floor mat now has a continuous surface. MD Technologies, which touts the 30" x 46" mat's anti-fatigue qualities, says it can modify the mats to accommodate the use of rolling stools.

Medicus Health

Ergonomic Anti-Fatigue Fluid Management Mat

medicus-health.com
877-514-1140

FYI: Medicus Health says this 18" x 27" mat "lifts" the surgeon out of fluids and congealed gel collected by absorbent mats. Fluids flow through the mat's breathable open grid to any absorbent pads, which aren't included. This mat's three-dimensional design provides the surgeon with pressure relief, shock absorption, improved leg circulation, stable footing and ?comfort. Waterproof and bacteria resistant, it's made of closed-cell EVA. The product is sold in packs of five for $225.

New Pig

Pig Grippy Surgical Absorbent Mat

newpig.com
800-328-2464

FYI: This single-use, eight-layer, 31" x 40" mat absorbs and retains up to three liters of fluid. Its backing stays put on a dry floor, and because it lies flat, the company says it's easy to move mayo stands and other carts over it. Available in perforated rolls with an optional wheeled stainless steel dispenser, the mat won't rip, tear or fray under heavy foot traffic, says New Pig.

Protection Products (PPI)

HydroGrabber HiViz 3000 Series Yellow

p-p-i.com
828-324-1273

FYI: Many products in this category are low-profile. Not this disposable mat, which is visually loud, with bilingual warnings and universal symbols meant to warn staff about potential fall zones. Sizing is adjustable thanks to easy-to-separate perforations. The latex-free mats come in a choice of 21" x 50' or 32" x 50' rolls that can be wheeled into the OR and perforated every two feet. PPI says the mat, which can absorb "any type" of fluid, conforms to cords and uneven floor surfaces without bunching. It's available in multiple levels of absorption. For dry floors, a skid-resistant impervious poly backing keeps the mat firmly in place, eliminating fluid contact with the floor.

Stryker Instruments

Suction Mat

stryker.com
800-253-3210

FYI: This disposable suction mat features a permeable, non-slip top layer that keeps feet dry by preventing the pooling of fluids on its surface. Its high-suction flow rate quickly evacuates fluid from the OR. Stryker claims the mat's quiet wicking action reduces unwanted noise in the OR

Typenex Medical

Fluid Fighter

typenexmedical.com
866-897-3639

FYI: Typenex Medical says this disposable mat is different because it suctions fluids into its internal system of channels throughout its entire absorbent surface area, as opposed to mats that suction from one small point or area. It grips to the floor using four durable, OR-safe, adhesive patches. Because the mat is flat and bulk-free, the company claims it's easy and safe to walk on and off freely, as well as roll equipment over.

Xodus Medical

The Mojave Camel Mat

xodusmedical.com
724-337-5500

FYI: This mat comes in a variety of sizes and a choice of three absorbency levels to fit specific needs. ?Its ?top layer is embedded with a fluid-absorbing polymer that retains fluid; its second layer is a liquid-proof poly barrier that acts as a fluid retention backup; and its bottom is layered in a non-slip backing material that keeps the mat securely in place, even when wet.

Zepf Surgical Instruments

DryMax 2.4 Surgical Floor Mat

zepfsurgical.com
800-552-3441

FYI: This disposable mat, just a few millimeters thick, absorbs up to nine liters of tap water or 3.5 liters of 0.9% normal saline. The company says the mat's absorption level means it won't leak or drip, even at high fluid and bacteria retention. This is not a mat you stand upon, because it can get slippery. When the case is over, the mat can be treated as clinical waste, as combustion transforms the fluids into a gel. It's meant to be placed under the operating table, in front of the feet of the surgical team. Its core is made of cellulose and sodium polyacrylate, while the outer cover is made non-woven polypropylene. The mats come in plastic bags of 25 that can be hung on the wall. A box 100 bags is $650 with discounts available.