What is the benefit of using adhesive incise drapes in certain surgeries?

• A. They replace the need for prepping the skin.
• B. They create a barrier around the incision to reduce microbial migration from skin to wound.
• C. They make the operation faster by not needing gloves.
• D. They eliminate need for sterile technique.

Answer: (B)

Adhesive incise drapes provide a barrier around the incision that helps keep skin organisms from migrating into the wound during surgery. This barrier reduces the chance that bacteria from the surrounding skin contaminate the surgical site, which is why they’re used as an adjunct to skin antisepsis. They do not replace skin prepping, and sterile technique and gloves are still required. They also do not speed up the procedure or eliminate the need for sterile methods.