Medical gauze is a highly absorbent material commonly used for bandages, dressings, and other wound care. Usually made from cotton or rayon, gauze is available in many different forms, from rolled strip bandages to absorbent pads and sponges.
Types of Gauze
There are two primary types of gauze: woven and non-woven. Woven gauze may be fine and soft or very loose and coarse (like cheesecloth), depending on the thread count. You don’t cut woven gauze before using it as a primary dressing (a dressing applied directly to a wound) as it can shed fibers that can get stuck in the wound and impede healing.
- Non-woven gauze is made of pressed fibers, making it more absorbent than woven products and less likely to shed lint.
- Gauze is also available in sterile and non-sterile packaging. However, only sterile gauze is suitable for primary dressings.
Types of Gauze Products
Different gauze products are suitable for different bandaging needs. Below is a quick overview of the various options and their uses.
Abdominal (ABD) Gauze Pads
Abdominal pads are large, highly absorbent gauze pads intended to absorb fluid from heavily draining wounds. They’re applied directly to the wound and secured with a secondary dressing such as rolled or conforming gauze.
Conforming and Rolled Gauze
Rolled gauze is a long strip of gauze rolled into a convenient, easy-to-apply cylinder that makes it simple to wrap. In addition, rolled gauze is woven and non-stretchy, making it more suitable for rigid body parts such as arms, legs, and wrists.
Conforming gauze is knitted to provide some elasticity and light compression. This allows it to conform to the contours of the body part to which it is applied. Conforming gauze may be helpful when dressing areas that are more mobile or uneven. Both rolled and conforming gauze can hold a primary dressing in place.
Wound Fillers and Packing
Wound fillers and packing are for wounds that include space beneath the skin and produce a lot of fluids, such as exudate and blood. The gauze absorbs the liquid to help keep the wound clean.
The most common types of packing are wound packing strips — narrow strips of gauze that come sealed in a jar — and wound packing rope. Wound packing rope is heavier and more absorbent and may be treated with substances such as alginate to increase absorbency.
Island Dressings
Island dressings consist of an “island” of gauze (an absorbent gauze pad) surrounded by an adhesive border. Island dressings are often for post-operative wounds with light to moderate drainage.
Gauze Sponges and Pads
Gauze pads, also known as gauze sponges, are a versatile gauze wound dressing product. They consist of several layers of gauze (different thicknesses are available) folded into a square. They are for everything from cleaning to packing and dressing wounds.
Protective Guards
Protective guards protect dressings from getting wet.
Whether you are dressing a surgical wound or simply cleaning a scraped knee, gauze products belong in your medicine kit. For all your gauze needs, visit SimplyMedical today.