- Email: [email protected]
Surgical Pearl: Antifog solution for surgery goggles
694 Pearls
J AM ACAD DERMATOL OCTOBER 2006
By clamping the broken suture at the base, flush with the patient’s skin, the surgeon maintains control of the amount of tension of the previously made running stitch and thus avoids disturbing the incision with the newly tied knot. The use of the needle holder also obviates the need for an assistant. As previously mentioned, this technique may also be used in cases in which the suture has been inadvertently cut, or when the surgeon runs out of suture before complete closure of larger defects. Fig 4. The completed closure.
Surgical Pearl: Antifog solution for surgery goggles Amy R. Brackeen, MD, and Jennifer L. Smith, MD Lubbock, Texas
BACKGROUND Many surgeons and surgical technicians experience the frustrating problem of foggy surgery goggles while performing surgery. The fogging of goggles can cause significant visual impairment during surgery, causing many to forego wearing important and necessary eye protection.1
TECHNIQUE We have reduced the fogging of our surgery goggles by applying antifog goggle gel to our surgical protective eyewear. New goggles should preferably be rinsed with soap and water to remove any residue left by the manufacturers. Then a small amount of gel is firmly rubbed onto the inner surface of the dry goggles. The gel is then rinsed off the goggles and allowed to dry. These antifog gels act as temporary antifog solutions designed to imitate more
From the Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech Health Sciences Center. Funding sources: None. Conflicts of interest: None identified. Reprint requests: Jennifer L. Smith, MD, Texas Tech HSC, Department of Dermatology, 3601 4th St, STOP9400, Lubbock, TX 79424. E-mail: [email protected]. J Am Acad Dermatol 2006;55:694-5. 0190-9622/$32.00 ª 2006 by the American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2006.02.019
Fig 1. Goggles with antifog gel on ‘‘treated’’ half of goggles.
expensive permanent options. As demonstrated in Fig 1, a set of goggles was cleaned and the antifog gel applied to the half of the goggles labeled as ‘‘treated,’’ and no treatment was applied to the half of the goggles labeled as ‘‘untreated.’’ The illustration clearly demonstrates the high effectiveness of the antifog gel. The effectiveness is noted to last throughout several surgical procedures on multiple days depending on the humidity and temperature of the environment. These antifog remedies are found in most sporting goods stores as a spray or gel. We use Body Glove Fog Away antifog gel for dive masks that we obtained from Sports Authority. Originally designed for scuba dive masks, this gel is effective and
Pearls 695
J AM ACAD DERMATOL VOLUME 55, NUMBER 4
safe for most lens surfaces. The active ingredient is not listed on the packaging or website for this product. Other products, such as Speedo anti-fog solution, list the active ingredient as Exxene AF-091 (the manufacturer’s name followed by an abbreviation) but does not reveal the true mechanism of this compound. This can also be used on eye shields of
disposable masks; however, the eye shields should be carefully rinsed so as not to wet the facial mask. REFERENCE 1. Crebolder JM, Solan RB. Determining the effects of eyewear fogging on visual task performance. Apple Ergon 2004;35: 371-81.
IOTADERMA #153 What is Texidor’s twinge and why would a dermatologist care? Jeffrey D. Bernhard, MD, FRCP Edin, Editor Answer will appear in the November issue of the Journal.
SEPTEMBER IOTADERMA (#152) What is ‘‘familial gigantic melanocytosis,’’ what is found microscopically when this condition is present, and by what other name is it known? Answer: It is a rare, autosomal, dominant pigmentation disorder characterized by a widespread, brown hyperpigmentation combined with ‘‘raindrop’’ hypopigmentation; found mostly on the exposed areas; and often accompanied by light-colored scalp and body hair, along with sparse pubic and axillary hair. Pathologically, there are abnormally large melanocytes filled with ‘‘late stage’’ melanosomes. The other name given for this condition is ‘‘familial melanopathy with gigantic melanocytes.’’ REFERENCES El-Darouti MA, Fawzi SA, Marzook SA, El-Eishi NH, Abdel-Halim MR, Soliman SA. Familial gigantic melanocytosis. Int J Dermatol 2005;44:1010-5. El-Darouti MA. Familial melanopathy with gigantic melanocytes. Am J Dermatopathol 1984;6:31-34.
Robert I. Rudolph, MD, FACP
J AM ACAD DERMATOL OCTOBER 2006
By clamping the broken suture at the base, flush with the patient’s skin, the surgeon maintains control of the amount of tension of the previously made running stitch and thus avoids disturbing the incision with the newly tied knot. The use of the needle holder also obviates the need for an assistant. As previously mentioned, this technique may also be used in cases in which the suture has been inadvertently cut, or when the surgeon runs out of suture before complete closure of larger defects. Fig 4. The completed closure.
Surgical Pearl: Antifog solution for surgery goggles Amy R. Brackeen, MD, and Jennifer L. Smith, MD Lubbock, Texas
BACKGROUND Many surgeons and surgical technicians experience the frustrating problem of foggy surgery goggles while performing surgery. The fogging of goggles can cause significant visual impairment during surgery, causing many to forego wearing important and necessary eye protection.1
TECHNIQUE We have reduced the fogging of our surgery goggles by applying antifog goggle gel to our surgical protective eyewear. New goggles should preferably be rinsed with soap and water to remove any residue left by the manufacturers. Then a small amount of gel is firmly rubbed onto the inner surface of the dry goggles. The gel is then rinsed off the goggles and allowed to dry. These antifog gels act as temporary antifog solutions designed to imitate more
From the Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech Health Sciences Center. Funding sources: None. Conflicts of interest: None identified. Reprint requests: Jennifer L. Smith, MD, Texas Tech HSC, Department of Dermatology, 3601 4th St, STOP9400, Lubbock, TX 79424. E-mail: [email protected]. J Am Acad Dermatol 2006;55:694-5. 0190-9622/$32.00 ª 2006 by the American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2006.02.019
Fig 1. Goggles with antifog gel on ‘‘treated’’ half of goggles.
expensive permanent options. As demonstrated in Fig 1, a set of goggles was cleaned and the antifog gel applied to the half of the goggles labeled as ‘‘treated,’’ and no treatment was applied to the half of the goggles labeled as ‘‘untreated.’’ The illustration clearly demonstrates the high effectiveness of the antifog gel. The effectiveness is noted to last throughout several surgical procedures on multiple days depending on the humidity and temperature of the environment. These antifog remedies are found in most sporting goods stores as a spray or gel. We use Body Glove Fog Away antifog gel for dive masks that we obtained from Sports Authority. Originally designed for scuba dive masks, this gel is effective and
Pearls 695
J AM ACAD DERMATOL VOLUME 55, NUMBER 4
safe for most lens surfaces. The active ingredient is not listed on the packaging or website for this product. Other products, such as Speedo anti-fog solution, list the active ingredient as Exxene AF-091 (the manufacturer’s name followed by an abbreviation) but does not reveal the true mechanism of this compound. This can also be used on eye shields of
disposable masks; however, the eye shields should be carefully rinsed so as not to wet the facial mask. REFERENCE 1. Crebolder JM, Solan RB. Determining the effects of eyewear fogging on visual task performance. Apple Ergon 2004;35: 371-81.
IOTADERMA #153 What is Texidor’s twinge and why would a dermatologist care? Jeffrey D. Bernhard, MD, FRCP Edin, Editor Answer will appear in the November issue of the Journal.
SEPTEMBER IOTADERMA (#152) What is ‘‘familial gigantic melanocytosis,’’ what is found microscopically when this condition is present, and by what other name is it known? Answer: It is a rare, autosomal, dominant pigmentation disorder characterized by a widespread, brown hyperpigmentation combined with ‘‘raindrop’’ hypopigmentation; found mostly on the exposed areas; and often accompanied by light-colored scalp and body hair, along with sparse pubic and axillary hair. Pathologically, there are abnormally large melanocytes filled with ‘‘late stage’’ melanosomes. The other name given for this condition is ‘‘familial melanopathy with gigantic melanocytes.’’ REFERENCES El-Darouti MA, Fawzi SA, Marzook SA, El-Eishi NH, Abdel-Halim MR, Soliman SA. Familial gigantic melanocytosis. Int J Dermatol 2005;44:1010-5. El-Darouti MA. Familial melanopathy with gigantic melanocytes. Am J Dermatopathol 1984;6:31-34.
Robert I. Rudolph, MD, FACP