What action should be taken after a breach of sterile technique during draping?

• A. Re-establish sterile field and re-drape as needed.
• B. Do nothing and continue.
• C. Stop the case and convert to a non-draped field.
• D. Change the patient.

Answer: (A)

Maintaining a sterile field is essential; when draping is breached, the sterile boundary has been compromised, so you must restore sterility. Re-establish the sterile field and re-drape as needed by removing the contaminated drapes or items from the sterile zone, placing new sterile drapes, and ensuring all instruments and supplies within the field remain sterile before resuming. If gloves or gowns were involved, they may need to be changed to maintain a sterile barrier. Once the field is rekindled as an intact sterile boundary, the procedure can continue safely. Continuing with contamination or converting to a non-draped field would not adequately protect the patient from infection, and changing the patient is not the appropriate remedy.